If This Be Godhood
by mtnetwarrior
Summary: Light awakens to find the events of Death Note have been just a dream. To get his mind off it, his father sends him to Inaba to aid in a murder mystery that has the local police baffled. Fate has driven Light off the path of Kira, now it will show him that godhood is not what he thought. Rated M for language, mature themes, and mild adult themes.
1. Chapter 1: Fool

**Hey there folks, my name is mtnetsurfer, and you know what, I love anime, and I love video games. One of my more favorite anime is Death Note, with its almost Macbeth-like ending, wonderful story line, amazing visuals, and impressive voice actors. One of my more recent interests in video games is Persona 4, which I thought was very well put together with the combination of dungeon crawling and relationship sims (the anime based on it was pretty good too).**

**I'm sure many people out there (myself included) have asked the question, "What if Light Yagami had never picked up the Death Note?" With this, I hope to answer that very question by dropping Light into the thick of the murder mystery at the core of Persona 4's story, giving him a Persona and everything.**

**A few notes; I know this seems lazy but I will only be describing certain characteristics for the characters since most people know what they look like (if you don't you can look them up since there are many great pictures of them online). Second, I will be going with my favorite pairings for Persona 4; Yu Narukami and Yukiko Amagi (yes I am using the Persona 4 protagonist's canon name), Yosuke Hanamura and Chie Satonaka, Kanji Tatsumi and Naoto Shirogane, and Teddie and Labrys. Light, for his part, will be paired with Rise Kujikawa (after much review into Misa Amane's character, I figured Rise was more deserving of Light than Misa will ever be).**

**Also, there will be some time displacement. This will all be based on Death Note's timeline, and as such Persona 4's timeline will be pulled back for that purpose. Additionally, instead of Persona 4 Arena coming after Persona 4, it will be integrated into it (you'll see how later). Minor changes to the story of Persona 4 will be made, some based on the anime, others my own alterations, many caused by Light's presence. I will also note that due to sexual content in the second-to-last chapter, this story will be M-rated (nothing graphic to avoid getting kicked off, I'll be making it as mild as possible).**

**For the record:** "**'Means a shadow is speaking**, _'Means a character is thinking,_ 'Means someone is talking over the phone, _"Means a flashback statement,_ _"Means someone is talking on TV._

**Lastly, I will say that I do not own any characters from either Death Note or Persona 4 (although I did make up the concept for Light's Persona). All copyrights for them go to their respective owners. Having said that, I will mention that this story is being written for pure entertainment only. Well, enough exposition. Without further ado, I give you...**

Chapter 1: Fool

Light Yagami woke up in a cold sweat. The dream he just had, it was so vivid. A notebook that could kill; a god of death; a plan to rule all disguised as a mission to remove all that is evil from the world. And worst of all, himself at the center of it. It was like watching the world through another's eyes, seeing his madness, his obsession. The people he killed, the people he betrayed, the people he used then discarded like so many used tissues. And then, like the bad dream it was, he was awake again, back to being a seventeen-year-old high school student. Light got up from his bed and got dressed. Walking downstairs, he almost felt like he had stepped back into a time-warp. There was his sister, still a middle-school student. His father was also sitting at the table, alive and well. Light thought back to all the people he had killed in his dream, and a few names popped out. Raye Penber, Naomi Misora, Aiber, Wedy, the members of the Yotsuba group, Kiyomi Takada, and so many others he couldn't remember. They were all probably still alive and well, living their lives unaware that, in some random student's dream, they had all been killed.

"Light, is anything wrong?" Light looked over to his father, Soichiro Yagami, a strong, hard-nosed police detective. His face was one of concern, but then again, Light probably looked like he had been to Hell and back. Come to think about it, that's exactly how he felt. "Just had a terrible dream, that's all," Light said as he sat down for breakfast. "Really?," Light's sister Sayu said, looking interested, "What, did you die in it or anything?" "A lot of people did," Light said, "And the worst part is, I was doing most of the killing." Every word of that sentence felt painful to Light, and the effects could well be seen by his family.

"Well, luckily they can't arrest you for murdering someone in a dream," Soichiro said with a wry smile and a chuckle. His father's good-natured comment eased Light's pain a little. "Maybe you're just studying too hard as of late," his mother Sachiko suggested. Light chuckled to himself. _'Maybe mom's right,'_ he thought, _'What with late-night studies, cram school, and all that time I spend after school for extra lessons, I'm either too stressed out, or getting delusions of grandeur.'_

"It might help if you take some time out off from school," Soichiro suggested, "Not that I'm saying you just blow it off, but rather do something productive to take your mind off all this. As it happens an old colleague of mine named Ryotaro Dojima recently got an unusual case. This might be a good chance for you to get some experience as a detective. I can have the internship set up in as little as twenty-four hours." Light nodded. A change of pace was just what he needed, a chance to be a real detective and do some good. Anything to get his mind off that dream... And that killer notebook.

* * *

The next day Light was on a train bound for the small rural community of Inaba. His father had gotten him a copy of the case file to look over. It seemed that on April 12, a famous TV announcer named Mayumi Yamano had been discovered dead by a local high school girl. The strange part was how the body was found, dangling upside-down from a TV antenna on top of a building. Already this made Light's mind race. _'Whoever stuck her up there must have a great deal of strength and dexterity,'_ he thought. What really struck him as odd was the fact that no cause of death had been given for the victim. The only note on the coroner's report was that the victim had suffered from massive heart failure. _'This case could prove a challenge.'_

* * *

"Hey there," the detective said. He looked to be about his mid-thirties, and was slightly unshaven. "I'm Ryotaro Dojima," he said, "This here is my partner, Tohru Adachi." Tohru looked like he could have easily been related to Touta Matsuda, the two looked so similar. "Your father, Soichiro, told me a lot about you Light," Dojima continued, "We actually could use some help on this case, even if it is from an intern. Anyway, for the time being you'll be staying at Adachi's house." "What?!," Adachi called in surprise. "So I won't be staying at your place then?," Light said, considerably calmer. Dojima nodded. "Afraid so. See, your arrival is a bit of bad timing. My nephew is staying over for the year while his parents work abroad." "Fine then," Light said, "Guess it won't be so bad."

* * *

As Adachi drove Light to his place, he seemed nervous, almost apprehensive. Light chalked it up to nerves regarding the case. Adachi finally sighed and said, "Sorry Light, but it is kinda an emergency." He pulled in to a nearby gas station about a mile or two from the train station. Light observed the sign above the pumps, which read "MOEL". Adachi rushed into the convenience store that was by the pumps, and Light realized that Adachi had been worried about going to the bathroom. "Hey there," the attendant said, "Another new face in this town. So what are you here for?" "Helping to solve the recent murder here," Light replied. The attendant smiled. "What, you mean that Yamano lady?" Light gasped. The attendant laughed. "Don't be so surprised. You're gonna find soon enough that rumors and such spread quickly in a small town like Inaba. Like, for example..." The attendant looked around, then said to Light, "The rumor of the Midnight Channel."

"Midnight Channel?" Light was in disbelief. "Stare at a blank TV at midnight on a rainy night, and you will see your soul mate," the attendant said, "Or so they say." It sounded almost ridiculous. But then again Light had recently had a dream about a notebook that could kill people in forty seconds if you wrote down their name while thinking of their face. If nothing else, it might be worth trying, just for laughs. Adachi finally came out of the restroom and got back in his car. "Well anyway," said the attendant, "Don't be afraid to stop by if you need information." He held his hand out for a handshake. Light accepted, and almost felt a strange twinge afterward.

* * *

That night, Light was sitting at the dinner table. For some reason, Adachi had an awful lot of cabbage in his fridge. "Jeez, they're showing it again." Light turned to see what Adachi was looking at. On the news was a high school student being interviewed. From the sound of it, it was about the recent murder. "She the girl who found the body?," Light asked. Adachi nodded. "Saki Konishi. Her parents run a liquor store in the shopping district." He turned to look at Light. "I've been interviewing her nonstop for the past day before being called over to pick you up. I'm pretty sure I've gotten all I can out of her."

* * *

A minute to midnight. And a perfect storm outside. Light checked his watch. That was one of the good things about his dream, the fact he that always took note of the exact time. Adachi's house only had one bedroom, his own, so Light decided to sleep in the living room. Adachi had already gone to bed, so now Light was waiting to see if anything would come on. _'Wouldn't it be crazy if Misa Amane shows up on the screen?'_ Light shook his head. Truth be told, he was pretty sure that relationship was one-sided. No, more like no-sided. Misa seemed more obsessed with Light than truly in love with him. Light checked his watch.

"Three... two... one..." As if on cue, the TV suddenly flickered to life. Light quickly checked the plug, which he had pulled out to make absolutely sure the TV couldn't be turned on by any natural means. Light blinked at the image before him. It was fuzzy, but he was sure the girl on the screen was Saki Konishi. As if drawn to the TV by the image, Light reached out his hand... And felt it go straight through the screen. Light pulled his hand back for a bit, completely shocked. "First a notebook that can kill," he said, "And now a TV I can pass through like a ghost." Curious, he looked at the TV screen, which had gone dark. It was pretty big, more than big enough for him to fit in. Trying his hand again, he found he could still put his hand through. Curiosity getting the better of him, he tried climbing in the whole way.

* * *

Light landed with a thud in a strange place. The building he was in seemed like a police precint, but with the appearance of a morgue. All the morgue cabinets were vertical, and worst of all he could see inside them. Dangling from what looked like hangman's nooses were people from his dream. More specifically, people who had died, either by his hand or another working for him. Walking down the long corridor, he came upon two bodies that almost made his heart stop. The first was L's, the eccentric detective who had dogged him for the entire first half of his dream. The other... Was his own. Light had almost forgotten that he had died at the end of his dream, shot multiple times, by Matsuda of all people, and then killed by the Shinigami Ryuk, who had dropped the Death Note in the first place.

"_'Terrible wasn't it?,'_" came a voice that was his and yet not his. Light looked around, and then, almost in horror, stared at his own corpse... Which suddenly lifted its head to stare back at him. Light was so startled that he screamed out loud and fell backward. From his new vantage point, he could see that the "corpse" had been standing on a small stool. Reaching up to undo the noose, which had been tied with a slipknot, the doppelganger stepped down and approached Light. Light noted that it looked just as he had at the end of his dream, his body covered in dirt and blood, his blood; practically bullet-ridden; whole being weary from the sudden failure after so much success. The only difference was the dark aura that surrounded this strange doppelganger, and the bright yellow eyes.

"_'Such awful things to behold,'_" the doppelganger said, "_'Could that really have been me? Maybe, if it had been real life. Sure, now that I've seen it from an outer perspective I'd never dream of it, but there's no denying that some of those thoughts still stay with me.'_" Light's eyes narrowed as he listened to this strange copy of himself. How did he know this? "_'This world is rotten. Those who do evil are making it rot. But does the world really need a savior who would kill on a whim? Does it need a god who spreads fear whilst passing what he believes to be righteous judgement on the so-called 'wrong-doers' who may or may not truly be guilty?'_"

"No," Light said, standing up, "But maybe it could use a hero. Someone willing to take it slow and steady, rather than try to wipe out all crime at once." "_'Someone who will do the job right, rather than take shortcuts.'_" "Someone who sees those who help him as true allies, rather than pawns to be used and discarded when they're no longer useful." "_'Maybe I... Could be that hero.'_" Light nodded, "I think I get it. This all makes sense now." The double smiled, as if he knew Light's next words. "You're me, and I am you." The dark aura of the double was quickly replaced by a brilliant blue radiance, as Light's image vanished from the double, to be replaced by a samurai in golden armor. Over his face was a decorative Noh mask, and instead of a katana it had an ornate gauntlet that emitted a blade-like beam. _'Yoshitsune... Minamoto,'_ Light thought, _'My... Persona.'_ He didn't know where the term "Persona" came from, it had just popped into his head, has had the name. As the image of the Persona vanished, leaving a blue card to fall into Light's hand, a new thought came into his mind. _'How do I get out of here?'_

* * *

After wandering for a bit, he soon found himself in what looked like the shopping district of Inaba, except the sky had what looked like a red and black crooked spiral. Suddenly a nearby door opened. Light turned, wondering what would come out. He noted there was a sign next to the building that said "Konishi Liquors". "Oh no," Light said, a terrible premonition coming over him. Sure, enough, out of the door came none other than Saki Konishi. Her body was terribly bloodied, as if something ferocious had attacked her. As she began to collapse, Light rushed to try and catch her, only to have her fade into nothing before his very eyes. After so many strange occurrences, Light pinched himself as hard as he could without drawing blood to make sure he was awake. The pain he felt assured him he was. Suddenly, he heard the sound of fighting in the distance. He ran towards the sound until he reached what looked like a hotel district. In the middle of a large blacktop were three high school students. One of them, a girl in a green jacket and skirt, lay on the ground unconscious. Another one, a boy wearing a high school uniform, was sprawled out next to her staring at something. The third, another young man with silver hair, was undoing his jacket. Suddenly, something invisible seemed to jerk him aside.

"Get off me!," he yelled out. Then Light noticed the phantom. A large humanoid in a black coat with a metal face mask, the giant wielded a massive broadsword. It seemed to be fighting off several strange creatures. They looked like giant striped orbs with massive mouths open wide to reveal huge tongues, human-faced masked on their backs. Several of these noticed Light and rushed towards him, getting the silver-haired boy's attention. "No you don't," Light said. Light instinctively summoned the card, which looked like a variation of a Judgement Arcana card. Swinging his arm around into the card, he shattered it and felt a rush of energy. "Yoshitsune Minamoto!" The golden samurai appeared and swung its beam blade in a deadly arc, slicing through and destroying several of the strange beings. A few more tried to ambush him from behind, however... "Izanagi!" It was the silver-haired boy who spoke. The black-coated giant, apparently called Izanagi, lifted his hand and summoned a massive lightning bolt, destroying the remaining creatures. "Thanks for the help," Light said, "But how did you three get in here?" "We could ask you the same question?" said the other boy. Light noted a walkman around his neck. "It's kind of a long story," Light said, "But what's say we find a way out of here first?"

* * *

The three kids, all of them around Light's age, gave their names as Chie Satonaka, Yosuke Hanamura, and Yu Narukami. Narukami, as it turned out, was the nephew Dojima had mentioned earlier. "So my uncle gave you internship with the Inaba police just to solve the murder?" "And somehow I wound up in here," Light said. He had told them the whole story, not sparing any details. "That couldn't really have been Saki-senpai right?," Yosuke asked, "I mean, it may have just been your imagination, or maybe the strange nature of this world." Light looked at Yosuke. It seemed clear that he had been in love with Saki. After an awkward silence, Chie spoke up. "So what kind of name is Light anyway?"

"You guys are okay!" Light turned at the unfamiliar voice, and was shocked to see what looked like and oversized stuffed animal walk up to them. "Oh," the bear said, "Who's this?" "I'm Light Yagami, and you are...? I wanna say... Teddie?" "Whoa," the bear said in shock, "I can't believe you guessed my name so easily! You must be a bear-y good detective or something!" Light laughed weakly. _'I was just being generic.'_ "Anyway," Teddie was looking serious now, "You guys need to get out of here, before more Shadows show up." _'Shadows,'_ Light thought, _'Is that what we were fighting earlier?'_ "We'd like to but we don't know where the exit is," Yosuke said, "That's why we came here looking for you." Teddie nodded, and seemingly conjured up three old-fashioned TVs stacked on top of each other. "There ya' go," he said, and roughly pushed the four of them through.

* * *

When Light finally came to, he heard what sounded like a store jingle. "Hey," Chie spoke up, "We're back in Junes." Light looked around to see they were in what looked like a large electronics store, or at least the electronics section of a department store. As the four teens got up, Yu seemed distracted by something. "This poster," he said in a low tone. Light looked at it. It was a poster for the famous singer Misuzu Hiiragi. The kanji on the side read, "Way of the Ballad". "What about it?," Light asked, "You can see these all over the place." "Sure," Narukami said, "Like in one of the rooms of that hotel you found us near. Only Hiiragi's face had been torn off each one." Narukami told Light about the strange room they had stumbled across earlier, most likely while Light was still wandering. Judging from the unpleasant image of a scarf tied into a noose dangling above a chair, they theorized it was the room that Mayumi Yamano had died in. That made Light think. Whoever the killer was, they had access to that TV world they had been in, and had likely thrown Ms. Yamano in there to die. Come to think about it, the case report mentioned Ms. Yamano having an affair with councilman's secretary Taro Namatame, whose wive at the time was Hiiragi. Though both of them had solid alibi's for the time of Ms. Yamano's death, and it was determined that neither of them had any real motive anyway, since Hiiragi was the one to call the divorce before the affair even began and was currently separated from Namatame.

* * *

Light walked back to Adachi's place. "Hey there Light," Adachi said when he saw Light come in, "Did you go somewhere last night?" Light thought for a second. He needed to come up with a good excuse that could fool Adachi. Luckily, he had enough practice from his dream. "Just wanted to see if I could find some clue the police investigators missed." Adachi shrugged. "Well good luck with that. We went over that place with a fine toothed comb." Just then, Adachi's cell rang. "Adachi." After a second, he motioned for Light to move closer. "Listen you two," it was Dojima, "Another murder victim was discovered about an hour ago under conditions similar to Ms. Yamano. I need both of you here right now." Dojima hung up. Adachi sighed, "Guess we'd better..." But Light was already heading for the car.

* * *

The crime scene was not too far from the shopping district. Already investigators, wearing special climbing equipment, were processing the telephone pole the body had been found hanging from. Dojima was standing near the body, already propped on a gurney and covered with a white sheet. "So who was it this time?," Adachi asked. Dojima nodded to the gurney. "Take a look for yourself." Light lifted up the sheet, and gasped. It was Saki Konishi. "The top brass are already telling us to treat this as a serial murder case," Dojima said, "Considering the similar state in which the bodies were found, I'd say that's a good idea." "Could the killer have been trying to silence the only witness?," Light asked aloud. "Don't see why," Dojima motioned for Adachi to take witness statements, "She only discovered the body. There's nothing to suggest she actually saw the crime in question." Light thought to himself, _'This won't go over well with Yosuke. And I'll bet he and the rest of the local high school will find out about this tomorrow.'_

"Say," Light suddenly thought, "Was anyone assigned to keep watch or Ms. Yamano or Ms. Konishi?" "Sure," Dojima replied, "What with the media buzz surrounding Mayumi Yamano concerning her affair with former Secretary Namatame, the top brass decided a little police protection was called for until it died down. And of course, we needed to keep watch over Ms. Konishi in case the killer suspected something and tried to find her. Adachi was put on the job in both cases. Seems stupid given his track record but we have been short-handed as of late." Light nodded, though the fact that a slacker like Adachi was in charge of guarding both victims made him think that just about anyone could have snuck in and had their way with these ladies. That made Light think. "Could the motive for murder be sexual assault in any way?" Dojima put a hand to his chin. "Possibly, although there's no evidence of rape on Ms. Yamano. We'll have the boys at the morgue check Ms. Konishi just in case. Interesting motive, in lieu of any other at the moment."

* * *

The next day at Yasogami High School, the entire student body was called in for an important assembly. "Quiet, all of you!" Kinshiro Morooka, known as King Moron to the students, called out trying to keep all of them in line. "The principal is about to make an important announcement. Anyone who talks out of turn goes down in my 'Rotten Little Shit' list!" Yosuke was busy checking his e-mail on his cell. He had tried calling Saki the night before after getting back home, but she hadn't returned his call. "I'm sorry to announce the loss of one of our own yesterday," the principal said in a somber voice, "Ms. Saki Konishi of room 3-4." Narukami gasped and looked back at Yosuke, who looked like he had died. _'Saki,'_ Yosuke thought, _'She really had died. Light wasn't imagining it.'_

**Next time:** Yosuke convinces Light to show him where he was when Saki Konishi died, and Yu decides to go with them. With Teddie's help, and some unique glasses, Light leads them to the TV version of Konishi Liquors. But a terrible secret awaits them inside, which could bring about Yosuke's untimely end...

**Next chapter: Magician**

**Some additional notes, and then that's the last you'll hear of me other than the disclaimer. First, I'll be doing these "next episode/previous episode" things every chapter, I think it'll add pizzaz. Also, for the record, I'm using Yoshitsune's Warriors Orochi 3 appearance, just so you know (just in case I will say that I also own nothing from Warriors Orochi 3). See ya next time. Please leave a review.**

**To find all my future projects, just search mtnetwarrior.**


	2. Chapter 2: Magician

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note or Persona 4**

**Last time:** After a horrible dream involving a killer notebook, Light Yagami is sent by his father to intern with the police force of the rural town of Inaba in hopes it will clear Light's head. While studying up on the death of a popular TV spokeswoman, Light learns of the Midnight Channel and a strange ability that let's him pass into another world through TVs. After a frightening encounter, he gains the Persona Yoshitsune Minamoto, but learns of the death of a local high school girl afterwards.

Chapter 2: Magician

Light was having his lunch at the Junes food court when he heard a dejected voice behind him say, "Hey, how's it going?" Light turned around. Sure enough, it was Yosuke, who sat down next to him. "I heard at school today about Saki-senpai's death." Light noted he was close to tears. "You loved her didn't you?" Yosuke nodded, and pulled out a ticket for a movie. "I had asked her on a date for this movie yesterday," he said, "I thought it would be my best chance. I don't know too many people around here. See, my dad got this job owning the store about six months ago, due to a transfer by the company. Suddenly I found myself pulled away from my old home and brought into a new life. Didn't see anyone from the city until Narukami arrived." Yosuke leaned back in his chair.

"A lot of the people who work here try to take advantage of the fact that my dad runs this place by getting me to do favors for them, but Saki..." He looked to the side, and Light could tell he was doing his best to hold back tears. "She must have meant a lot to you," he said. Yosuke nodded. "Why did she have to die like this?" Yosuke finally broke down. He looked at Light. "You must have seen something, some glimpse of whatever attacked her." Light sighed. "I did get a good look at the store behind her, but I couldn't really see inside it because it was blocked by that same red and black swirl that seems to fill the whole sky in that world." Yosuke sighed and his head sank to the table-top. "Well then," he said, "There's only one thing to do." And with that, he dashed off. Shortly after, Yu and Chie showed. "Where was Yosuke running off to so quick?" Chie asked. "Hopefully he's not considering suicide," Light said. Chie shook her head. "I doubt it, he's a lot stronger and smarter than that." Yu nodded, and sure enough Yosuke came running back carrying a length of rope and a golf club. "Light," he said, panting, "I want you to take me to where you found Saki."

* * *

In the electronics department, Yosuke was tying the rope around himself and Light. "Is this really necessary," Chie said out of concern. "It is," Yosuke said as he finished tying the rope around himself, "We need a lifeline back here in case things get heavy." Chie looked really worried here. "But can you even get in on your own?" Yosuke shrugged. "Maybe not, but I figure Light can somehow. Remember how Narukami was able to drag us in here. I bet Light has that same kind of power." _'Solid thinking,'_ Light thought, _'Only what would you do if that wasn't the case?' _Suddenly, Yu grabbed the other end of the rope and tied it around his waist.

"Narukami?" Yosuke was surprised that Yu wanted to join them. "We don't know if Light has that same power, or if someone threw him into the TV world like they did Ms. Yamano and Saki," Yu explained, "But we do know I have this power, so I'm going with you." Light nodded. "Though for the record, I can pass through on my own." "Oh," Yu said, though he kept the rope tied. "Oh yeah," Yosuke suddenly called out, "You'll need a weapon of your own." Light looked around. A metal rod used to assemble TV antennas looked promising. "Make sure to hold the rope tight Chie," Light said as he and Yu guided Yosuke through the TV. Chie checked the rope, pulling it back a bit to see if she could get them back, only to have the rope snap off. Sinking to her knees, she cried out, "I knew this was a bad idea!"

* * *

Inside the TV world, Light also noticed that their lifeline was broken. Sighing, he proceeded to untie himself. "Why did we even use the same TV we came out of before?," he asked Yosuke. Yosuke just shrugged. "I figured that way we'd run into Teddie again and he could help us out." Yu put on the same glasses he had on last time, and Light remembered he had them on last time they were here. "Why do only put those on in here?" "It helps me see through this fog," Yu replied. It certainly was very foggy in the TV world, which surprised Light. Suddenly, Teddie showed up, with a suspicious look on his comically large face.

"You guys again," he said, growling a little. "What's wrong with us being here?," Yosuke asked in an unnecessarily angry tone. "You guys are bear-y suspicious," Teddie said, "People have been getting thrown in here a lot recently and aggravating the shadows, and I'm starting to think it's you guys." "What?!," Yosuke said, really livid now, "If anyone's suspicious here it's you, walking around with that bear suit on! Take it off right now!" And with that, Yosuke jumped on top of Teddie and unzipped the top of the head. What was inside shocked Yosuke and Light to no end. It was... Nothing. Teddie was completely empty inside. Teddie's arms flailed about almost uncontrollably while his head had gone silent, it's eyes pure white.

"Now that's unusual," Yu said as he calmly picked up Teddie's head and put it back on his body. Yosuke was amazed at how nonchalant Yu was. "Man, it's like nothing startles him." Once his head was back on, Teddie looked very apologetic. "Thank you bear-y much," he said to Yu, "You're much nicer than that freaky-haired kid." Light suddenly found himself restraining Yosuke. "What did you say about my hair?!" "Anyway," Light said, "I can say with all certainty that we're not the ones throwing people in here." Teddie nodded. "I haven't had much contact with people from your world, so I didn't know if I could trust you or not. But then, why are you here?"

Yosuke calmed down and said, "Were there any other humans here last night, besides us and the girl we were with?" "Sure was," Teddie replied, "Do you need me to lead you there?" Light nodded and said, "It would also help if we could have glasses like Narukami's." As if expecting this, Teddie brought out two pairs of glasses, one for Light and one for Yosuke. Sure enough, as soon as Light put them on, the whole world cleared up. "All right then," Light said, "I remember the general area where I found Saki, but Teddie will have to lead us there." Yosuke pulled out his cell phone and started typing buttons. "Is this the person who was here?" He showed Teddie a picture of Saki. "That's her," Teddie said, "She went into this small building. Come on, this way."

* * *

Sure enough, Teddie led them right back to the TV version of the Inaba shopping district. Light had gone there earlier that day to make sure. "This is the place where I sensed her," Teddie said. Light looked around. "And there's the building she came out of," he pointed to the liquor store. "That looks like the store Saki-senpai's family owns all right," Yosuke said. Suddenly several voices started speaking up. "**_'They say Junes is running all the stores here out of business. It's really bad for the economy.'_**" "**_'I wish Junes would just go under already, it would be better for all of us.'_**" "**_'Did you hear? Saki Konishi got a part time job there.'_**" "**_'Has that girl no respect for her own family? Their store is getting hit worst of all.'_**"

"SHUT UP!," Yosuke yelled at the top of his voice, "Whose saying that? Show yourselves!" In anger, he ran into the liquor store. "Yosuke wait!," Yu called out, and he and Light quickly ran after him. However, inside the liquor store, which suddenly seemed perfectly normal, they saw no one. "That's weird," Yu said, "Weren't those voices coming from in here?" Light looked around. "Hard to tell. It sounded like it was coming from everywhere at once." They suddenly started turning wildly as more voices came from nowhere. "**_'You're a disgrace to your name Saki! Working at the very store that is causing our business to fail! Have you no shame? Does your family mean nothing to you?'_**" "That sounds like Saki's father," Yosuke said as he walked further in, but stopped when he felt something papery under his shoe. Looking down, Yosuke was shocked to see the movie ticket he had given Saki yesterday. It was ripped up, and not by Yosuke's shoe.

"**_'I never got the chance to tell him...'_**" Yosuke gasped. "That's Saki's voice..." "**_'Yosuke, I never got to tell him...'_**" Yosuke looked at the ceiling and said, "Tell me what...?" "**_'Tell him that... He's a huge pain in the ass!'_**" Yosuke was aghast. _'Are these Saki's inner thoughts?,'_ Light thought to himself, _'Maybe she was more upset by life than Yosuke thought.'_ "**_'I try to be nice to him, cause his father runs the store,'_**" Saki's voice continued, "**_'And I guess he took it the wrong way. Truth is, I couldn't care less about anything. Yosuke, my family, I wish all of it would just go away.'_**" Yosuke was close to losing it. "Shut up! Saki would never say something like that!"

"**_'Yeah right, as if you care.'_**" It was a new voice, and Light was suddenly reminded of his encounter with his own shadow. The voice sounded like Yosuke, and yet not like Yosuke. The four of them turned around, and Yosuke gasped at what they saw. It looked exactly like Yosuke, was dressed as he was now, and had the same yellow eyes and dark aura that Light's shadow had. _'This must be Yosuke's shadow,'_ Light thought, _'The living embodiment of Yosuke's inner darkness. I was in tune with my inner darkness, but will it be the same with Yosuke?'_ Yosuke just stood there, staring. "Who... Who are you?" It was easy to tell the fear in Yosuke's voice, not that Light could blame him. He had felt considerable fear himself when his shadow appeared.

"**_'I am you,'_**" the shadow said, causing Yosuke to gasp. _'This doesn't look good,'_ Light thought, _'It doesn't look like Yosuke is ready to accept what is inside his own mind.' _Yosuke certainly seemed like he couldn't believe what was right in front of him. "That's impossible. How there can be another me?" The shadow Yosuke chuckled. "**_'Such a boring place. Being stuck out here all alone, no friends, no one to talk to. Coming here, trying to solve this mystery. Sounds like a great diversion. Heck, maybe if I'm lucky I'll even be called a hero. Saki's death? What a great excuse. Anything to relieve the boredom.'_**" Light frowned. He knew that last part was not true in the slightest. Sure, the other parts Yosuke might have been able to accept, but it was clear his feelings for Saki were real. Diversion or not, solving this case would certainly bring him closure. _'What's going on here?,' _Light thought, _'My shadow's words were harsh, but at least it seemed to know what I was really thinking.'_

"Shut up!," Yosuke said, really starting to lose it now, "You're not... You can't be..." Light had an awful premonition. "Yosuke no!" But Yosuke screamed at the top of his lungs, "YOU'RE NOT ME!" The shadow laughed maniacally as the dark aura surrounding him turned blood red. _'A shadow that is accepted turns into a Persona,'_ Light thought, _'What happens when it's rejected?'_ He didn't have to wonder long. The shadow seemed to be engulfed in darkness. "**_'You're right! I'm my own person now!'_**" The liquor store's walls seemed to fall away like a TV show backdrop, revealing a massive sound-stage behind it. The darkness around the shadow subsided, leaving a bizarre creature in it's place. It looked like a weird cartoon frog with a humanoid creature on its back.

"**_'I am a shadow! The true self!'_**" Teddie was absolutely frantic. "The shadow has gone berserk! We have to do something!" Thinking quickly, almost as one, Light and Yu summoned the tarot cards for their Personae. Light noticed Yu's card was a variation of the Fool. Yu simply took his card and shattered it as if crushing it, while Light swung the antenna like a makeshift shaft horizontally to shatter his. "Izanagi!" "Yoshitsune Minamoto!" The two giant Personae appeared. Yu and Light readied their weapons. The giant shadow swung one of its human arms to smash Yosuke, but Light had Yoshitsune block it long enough for Yu to get him out of the battle arena. The shadow tried a second time, but Yu knocked the arm back with his golf club. He then extended his hand and called out, "Zio!" A crash of lightening struck the shadow, causing it to go off balance.

Light, acting on instinct now, extended his hand and called out, "Skewer!" Yoshitsune leapt above the shadow and came down head-first with his blade pointed at the shadow. The attack connected easily, appearing to slice the shadow clean in two. Getting the hang of it, Light then called out, "Hama!" Yoshitsune brought his blade up and created a blaze of light with it. The white hot light seemed to both sear and blind the shadow. Light readied his weapon. "Narukami, time to finish it!" Yu nodded. Bringing their weapons up, he and Light started pummeling the shadow with every ounce of strength they had, causing a cloud of white dust to be kicked up. When the dust cleared, Yu and Light were standing victorious over the shadow, now returned to looking like Yosuke. Yu walked over to Yosuke.

"I know a lot of what he said may have hurt," he said to his friend, "But I also know your feelings for Saki were real. And besides..." He nodded to Light. "You're not alone anymore. Me and Light are here, and together we can help you get through this." Light smiled and nodded. "It can be hard," he said, "To face your own shadow. It represents your biggest fears, your darkest emotions, your deepest doubts. But in the end, it is a part of you. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience." Yosuke smiled. Then he walked over to his shadow, who had just gotten up. "It's true I've been bored out of my skull, but I have been doing all I can to make friends in this town. And now I've just made two." The shadow smiled, as if understanding Yosuke's new-found resolve.

"You are me," Yosuke said, "And I am you." The shadow's dark aura turned brilliant blue as it transformed. The form seemed to borrow a lot from the shadow version of Yosuke, only it was completely humanoid. It almost reminded Light of a ninja. "Jiraiya," Yosuke muttered. "Wasn't that a character in that ninja anime?," Yu asked. "That character, and apparently this Persona, were both based on a mythological ninja that mastered frog-based ninjutsu," Light explained, "So far these Personae seemed to be named after Japanese legends." The Persona Jiraiya vanished, leaving behind a card with a variation of the Magician which fell into Yosuke's hands.

* * *

Back in Junes, Chie was still freaking out about losing Yosuke and the others. _'Yosuke,'_ she thought to herself. She would never admit it, except maybe to her friend Yukiko, but she had been a little jealous about the affection Yosuke seemed to have for Saki. The trouble was that he seemed to be such a womanizer, not to mention all the times he pissed her off, like accidentally breaking something she lent him, that she hadn't bothered to try even asking him out, let alone telling him of her feelings. Suddenly, she saw another ripple in the TV. Out came Light, Yu, and Yosuke, all perfectly fine except for one or two bruises.

"You're back...," Chie said, almost on the verge of tears. Yosuke smiled at her. "Yeah, we got out just fine. But man do we have..." Yosuke was interrupted by the shock of his life, as Chie threw her arms around his neck to hug him. He was very surprised, more so by the fact that someone as strong as Chie was now crying into his shoulder. Light and Yu looked dumbfounded, but then turned to each other and smiled. _'I don't know what I'd do,'_ Chie thought to herself, _'If I ever lost you.'_ "Chie," Yosuke said, careful not to put his hands anywhere he shouldn't for fear of an offensive attack, "What's wrong?" Chie suddenly seemed to realize what she was doing and pulled away quickly. "Uh... Nothing. Just... Happy you're back is all."

* * *

The next night, Light was at the Inaba Police Headquarters. He was thinking about what Teddie had said as they left the TV world. _"I bet those other two were attacked and killed by their own shadow."_ It made sense. Light didn't claim to have the strongest will in the world, but it was strong enough to face his inner demons. But not everyone was like that. Though, what struck him as odd was Shadow Yosuke's last statement, the one that had set Yosuke off. _"**'Saki's death? What a great excuse. Anything to relieve the boredom.'**"_That had been Yosuke's shadow, no doubt about it. So how come it had made a statement that actually seemed not to match up with Yosuke's thoughts. Maybe it had something to do with Yosuke's recent revelation that Saki did not return his feelings. He heard the sounds of rain outside, and remembered how close to midnight it was. He and Adachi were the only ones there, and Adachi was engrossed in the case files.

"I'm gonna use the bathroom," Light said. Instead he headed for one of the interrogation rooms, one he knew had a TV. If the Midnight Channel came on again, he might see if anyone else was thrown in. '_Only a minute to midnight, the picture wouldn't be on for more than half a minute, Adachi shouldn't suspect a thing.'_ Light checked his watch, which lit up in dark regions, until midnight appeared. Just like before, the TV flickered on. Light didn't need to check the cable this time, he knew it was real. It was really grainy, but he could make out a girl in a kimono. She sat with her back to the viewer, so Light couldn't get a good look at her face. Shortly after the picture faded, he got a call on his cell. He remembered that he had given his number to both Yu and Yosuke, and the number that came up was Yu's. Light answered it. "Yagami speaking."

'Formal much?,' came Yu's voice, 'Just got a call from Yosuke, and we're both fairly certain the girl that just showed up on the Midnight Channel was Yukiko Amagi, Chie's best friend from school.' Chie's best friend. That left a bad taste in Light's mouth. If Chie was watching this, and he was sure she was, she would get super worried over Yukiko. However, there was nothing to suggest Yukiko was in any danger right now. "We may have time to plan our next move," Light said, "If what Teddie said is true, and assuming Yukiko is in the TV world, she won't be in any danger until it gets foggy on our side." Teddie had mentioned that the TV world's weather was the opposite of the real world's, most importantly that when it was foggy in the real world, the fog lifted in the TV world, and the shadows would start to go violent. This made sense, as both victims were found dead on foggy days.

'We'll need to meet up tomorrow to discuss our plan of action. Until then.' Yu hung up and Light headed back to where Adachi was. As he did, he heard the phone ring. "Inaba Police Department, Adachi speaking." Light sat down nonchalantly as Adachi listened to whoever was on the other end. "Sorry, but unless we have some sort of reasonable cause we can't just bring a person into protective custody. If you're so worried about Ms. Amagi being the next victim, explain the situation to her and take her someplace you know is safe for the time being." Light's ears perked up at the name "Amagi". "Who was that?," he asked. "Namatame, of all people," Adachi said with a sigh, "Said something about Yukiko Amagi being the next potential victim." Light had a strange feeling about this. _'I know the name Taro Namatame, but what makes him think Yukiko is the next victim. Me, Yu, and Yosuke came to that conclusion because of what was on the Midnight Channel. Does Namatame know of it? Come to think of it...'_

"How does Namatame know Ms. Amagi?," Light asked. Adachi looked at him. "Why wouldn't he know about her? Her family owns the local inn. Other than Junes it's the only landmark around here. Didn't you see her on the news earlier today?" That's when Light remembered. There was a news report earlier that day about the Amagi Inn. Apparently, Yukiko's mother had collapsed from exhaustion after so much work from a very demanding customer, who happened to be Mayumi Yamano. As a result, Yukiko was taking over the inn temporarily until her mother recovered.

_'So Yukiko is well known,'_ Light thought, _'I guess then it would make sense Namatame would know her name. If he hadn't heard about her from the townsfolk, he certainly would have watched the news report. So much for my suspicions.'_ On the other hand, the fact that Yukiko had shown up on the Midnight Channel could not be ignored. If she wasn't already in the TV world, she soon would be. _'Since we have a good idea about who the next victim is going to be, and we have time to plan our actions accordingly, we may be able to save Yukiko's life, and possibly gain a new ally.'_ The wheels in Light's head were already turning. Because of the nature of the killer's "weapon" it could potentially be turned against him right under his nose. Time was a factor however, and there was no telling whether or not it was on their side.

**Next time: **Concerned for her friends safety, Chie is at first relieved to hear that Yukiko is still in the real world. When she later shows up in an expose on the Midnight Channel, however, Chie is the first to rush in. But she will soon be confronted with terrible thoughts that could threaten her friendship with Yukiko, as well as her life...

**Next chapter: Priestess**

**Leave a review for me please.**


	3. Chapter 3: Priestess

**I wasn't going to talk at all before or after these chapters except for the disclaimer, but I feel I must say something. I received what I perceived to be a negative review of my work. While the first part, which commented on my writing style, could be taken as constructive criticism, the second part commented on my story plot. First off, if you don't like how I write these stories, don't read them. I'm not gonna change how I do things for one person. I've actually had other people read this and say they liked it. Second, what I write is going off the actual story of Persona 4, so make sure you are familiar with the story before you comment on certain parts that may seem stupid. I decided to ditch the review, for the record. I appreciate constructive criticism, but any negative comments will be trashed. I'm not writing to please everyone all the time, just some people some of the time.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note or Persona 4**

**Last time:** After speaking with Light about Saki Konishi's death, Yosuke makes the decision to go back to the TV world and investigate. Meeting up with Teddie again, Yu, Light, and Yosuke travel to the TV version of Konishi Liquors, and Yosuke is practically overwhelmed by Saki's inner thought, and the revelation that she did not return his feelings. When his shadow attacks, Yu and Light step in to defend him. With encouragement from his friends, Yosuke is able to obtain his Persona, Jiraiya. Later, Light learns the next victim may be a girl named Yukiko Amagi.

Chapter 3: Priestess

The next day at school, Yu and Yosuke were talking after class. "We could always check with Teddie to see if anyone is in the TV world," Yosuke said, "We don't know for sure if Yukiko is in there." Yu nodded. "We'll meet with Light after school, then decide what to do." Suddenly, Chie burst in. "Have you guys seen Yukiko lately?" She was clearly flustered, and it wasn't hard to tell why. _'She must have seen the Midnight Channel last night,' _Yosuke thought. Chie looked at both of them, clearly worried. "I've tried calling her several times, but she hasn't answered. I left a few texts, but no replies." "Calm down Chie," Yu said, "Have you tried her family's phone?" Chie suddenly perked up. "Oh, of course." She picked up her phone again and dialed the Amagi Inn. 'Hello,' came Yukiko voice, 'Amagi Inn.' "Oh Yukiko," Chie said, "There you are. I was worried." 'Oh, Chie, sorry. It's just we had a big group come over today, so I had to miss school. I'll try to call later.' "Okay," Chie said, relief in her voice.

* * *

After school, at Junes, Yu and the others met up with Light. "I see," he said after hearing that Yukiko was just busy at the inn, "But just because Yukiko is still in the real world, does that necessarily mean it was someone else we saw on the Midnight Channel?" "It has to be right," Chie seemed desperate to believe it, "Since Yukiko is here, she can't be in the TV world." Light thought for a moment. "Well, there is one way to tell. We just go in the TV world and ask Teddie." The gang all nodded. Heading for the electronics department, they saw a complication. "Not good," Yosuke said, "There are costumers here." Standing in front of the giant TV they used before, Yosuke got an idea. "Hey Narukami, try sticking your hand in to get Teddie's attention." As soon as Yu stuck his hand inside, he felt something bite. Pulling his hand out quickly, he saw there were reddish marks below his second knuckles.

"Hey what's wrong?," Yosuke said when saw Yu pull his hand out. "Something inside there bit me," Yu said, "And it left bite marks too." Chie was shocked, "Are you okay Yu?" "I'm crying," Yu said. Light looked at Yu's face. It was as deadpan as ever. "Maybe on the inside," he said. Then a voice from inside the TV called out, "Is that sensei's voice?" It was Teddie. "Teddie, there you are," Yosuke said, "We need to know if anyone is in your world right now." "Not now," Teddie said, "I'm bear-y much alone in here. I'd at least be able to sense if there were any humans here, but so far nothing." As the four of them walked back to the food court, Yosuke and Yu talked. "It seems like it may be Yukiko after all," Yosuke said, "And she just hasn't been kidnapped yet." Yu nodded. "Then we'd better keep an eye on the Midnight Channel. We should check the weather reports on a regular basis so we know when to watch." "Speaking of that," Light said, "It's supposed to rain tonight. We may be able to see something on the Midnight Channel." The three of them agreed to watch that night. Chie seemed worried by their conversation. _'Yukiko. I hope it really won't be you.'_

* * *

That night, Yu had just put his little cousin Nanako to bed. He looked at the key he was given. Just last night it had been offered to him by Igor, the strange proprietor of the Velvet Room. The Velvet Room looked like a luxury room inside a limousine, though from hearing Igor and his assistant Margaret, it could be altered depending on the situation. Apparently only those bound by a "contract" could enter this room. He had been told of Light's coming, though not directly. Margaret had mentioned him. _"He is one who was meant to fall to tragedy attempting to achieve godhood, but now fate has dealt him a different hand."_ _'Could the strange morgue Light had encountered in the TV world have anything to do with the future that now may no longer exist?,'_ Yu thought to himself. As he did, the TV came flickering on. He remembered it was now midnight. What he saw was surprising. From below the screen came Yukiko's face. She was dressed in a pink fantasy gown, a far cry from the kimono she had worn in the grainy picture. She also held a microphone in her hand.

_"He-ll-o,"_ she said to the audience,_ "My name Yukiko, and I'm here to score myself a hot stud. It's time for this night's program, 'Ms. Yukiko's Hunt for her Prince Charming'."_ At this last statement, she extended her arm behind her, and a bright show title appeared behind her, spelling out Yukiko's last statement in Japanese. Yu couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat. Sure, he had admitted to Chie earlier that he thought Yukiko was cute, but here she was almost sexy, even in a dress. _"And I've prepared for the occasion. I've got my lacy unmentionables ready,"_ she said as she tapped just below her waist, _"And my heart is ready as well."_ She brought both her hands to her chest and gave a slight bounce in her hips. _'I can't believe all this is deliberate,'_ Yu thought as Yukiko ran straight into the castle that was behind her. As a number of thoughts raced through Yu's mind, many of them he probably wouldn't bring up, he heard his cell ring.

'Hey!,' came Yosuke's voice, 'You saw that right!' "Yeah," Light said, "I wish I had videotaped it." Meanwhile, at Adachi's house, Light was going over the tape he had just made. Despite not being an actual program, it seemed it was possible to tape what was shown on the Midnight Channel. Light had taken the time earlier that day to visit the Amagi Inn to see if he could glean any information from Yukiko. She had, however, been very busy with a large party that had shown up. This seemed contrary to her personality. _'It must be her shadow. That's the only explanation.'_ If Namatame had taken Adachi's advice, he hadn't had a chance to go through with such a plan.

* * *

The next day, Light's mind continued to work at an almost feverish pace. He was almost worried he would be overstressed again. But at the same time, he felt confident. _'A slow and steady pace,'_ he thought, _'That's what it'll take to rid the world of crime, assuming that it is possible.'_ Early that morning, a call had come in that Yukiko Amagi had gone missing. "Pretty suspicious if you ask me," Adachi said, "Since Ms. Yamano could be blamed for the condition of Yukiko's mother, that gives her motive. Might be why she's hiding." Light couldn't help but think how dumb that sounded. "Or she could have been kidnapped by our killer, or maybe the stress of running the inn on her own got to her and she ran away from home." Adachi winced at the harshness of Light's words. Suddenly Light heard some commotion in the hall. Checking it out, he saw an officer talking to Yu and Yosuke. On the table nearby were two swords. "What's going on here?, " Light asked. The officer turned to look at Light. "Oh, Mr. Yagami. We caught these two suspicious teens at the Junes food court. One of them was wielding these weapons." Light took a closer look at the swords and sighed.

"It's good to know you're on the job," he said as he picked up one of swords and demonstrated it was fake by bending the blade, "But next time check a suspect's weapon before deciding whether or not he's dangerous." The officer looked rather sheepish at this. At that moment, Dojima came down the hall. "What's going on here?" He looked at Yu. "Oh, Yu, why are you here?" After explaining what happened, Light decided to take the three of them to a nearby empty room. He explained that he had asked Yu and Yosuke to assist him, since locals might be more effective in finding information than the police. "We managed to find what may be our killer's hideout," he said, leaving out the fact that the "hideout" was inside a TV, "We've even developed a method to predict their next target. With a known time of when the killer may be out, we can go and rescue their victims before they can be killed. However, there's no telling if the killer has accomplices. I'm sure Yosuke knew this, and was trying to find self-defense tools."

"I understand," Dojima said, nodding his head, "It sounds dangerous, but if you're working together that should lessen the danger." He wrote something on a piece of paper. "You should, however, try something other than plastic weapons if you're serious about defending yourselves." He handed Yu the paper with an address on it. "This is the address of the local metal works. They specialize in making antique weapons for collectors, so you should find what you need there. I'd also recommend you find a way to keep whatever you buy hidden to prevent another incident like this." The three friends nodded, then headed out to the lobby. They were surprised to see Chie waiting for them. "There you guys are!," she said. It was clear she was upset.

* * *

As they walked to the metal works, Chie mentioned how, after seeing the Midnight Channel program, she had raced over to the Amagi Inn only to find Yukiko was not there. "We can confirm it with Teddie," Yu said, "But I think it's clear now that Yukiko has found her way into the TV world." Once inside the metal works, they started looking around. Chie decided on a pair of light steel slippers that looked as though they could comfortably slip into her shoes. Yosuke settled on a pair of iron kunai, a type of ninja dagger. Yu chose a traditional samurai katana, very light-weight and sharpened to perfection. Light decided on a well-crafted naginata, a staff weapon with a large blade at the end. It was designed to come apart to fit inside a carrying case. After paying for their choices, they carefully hid their weapons under their clothes and headed for Junes.

* * *

"I think moving back and forth from the TV world is getting easier," Yosuke said as he slipped on his glasses and surveyed the area, "You guys ever notice that there are never any shadows around this place?" "That's good," Light said as he assembled his naginata, "It means we can use it as a central base of operations." At that moment, Teddie ran towards them at full speed. "Sensei! Light! Yosuke!" Chie seemed puzzled."Sensei? Oh wait, he's probably talking about Narukami." "Someone's here," Teddie was frantic, "Someone's been thrown in. I sensed them just last night." The four friends turned to each other and nodded. Chie turned back to Teddie. "Can you show us where? It's real important." Teddie nodded. "Uh-huh, I know exactly where they are. Follow me."

* * *

Teddie soon led them right to the castle that they had seen on the Midnight Channel last night. "This is where I smelled them," Teddie said, "I figured you guys would want to know when someone else had been thrown in, so I focused as hard as I could to detect any new presences." Chie nodded. "Hang on Yukiko!" And with that, she ran right into the castle. "Was she even thinking?," Yosuke asked. Light sighed. "Kinda doubt it. Then again, if it was my best friend and he or she was in danger, I might rush in as well. It's stupid, but it's human nature." Yosuke hung his head as he breathed a heavy sigh. "We'd better go after her. Without the glasses, she won't be able to see in there, and could get attacked."

The halls of the castle were long and winding. After a while it almost seemed like they turned into each other, making navigation confusing. If not for Teddie's keen sense of direction, they would have gotten lost easily. "I think I smell Chie just up ahead," Teddie said as Light and Yosuke took out another pair of shadows. "These things are all over the place," Yu said as he had Izanagi zap a few more, "Teddie what's going on?" "It's that girl Yukiko's shadow," Teddie explained, "Her negative energy is drawing the shadows to this location." Yosuke struck down a few more shadows while having Jiraiya cast his wind magic. Breathing heavy he thought to himself, _'What Chie did yesterday caught me off-guard. Could she have feelings for me? No way... I mean, she gets on my case every time I accidentally break something she lets me borrow and she calls me a pervert whenever I stare at a girl... But then again... No, I'm thinking too much. I have to keep moving. I don't want to lose anyone else.'_

* * *

The gang had finally caught up to Chie in a large ballroom. She was standing in the middle of it, looking around nervously. "Yukiko! Yukiko where are you!" She was almost frantic at this point. "_**'She said I looked good in red...'**_" "Yukiko?," Chie said in confusion. "More thought projections," Teddie said, "Just like earlier in the store." "_**'Chie was always the strong one. I could never be like her. I've always needed others to take care of me. My family, my teachers... I've always needed someone's support, most of all Chie's. She's everything I hope to be, and I envy her. I hated the name I was given. 'Yukiko', the snow child. They said it was because of my beauty, but snow only looks cold and dead to me. But Chie, she said I look good in red.'**_" "Yukiko," Chie said, barely processing what was being said. Her thought were racing. _'Is this really how Yukiko feels?'_ "_**'Chie will always protect me, and I need her strength.'**_" Suddenly there came a sinister laugh from the shadows.

"Uh-oh," Yosuke said, noting how similar the voice was to Chie's, "Deja vu all over again." Sure enough, another Chie, one with yellow eyes and a dark aura, appeared from the shadows. "Wha-what the...?," Chie said, understandably surprised. "_**'Such a naive ****girl,'**_" the shadow said, "_**'Thinking I'm doing all this for her. The truth is, I need someone to protect, someone to validate my existence.'**_" "What are you talking about?," Chie said, "Who are you?" "_**'I'm you of course. How else would I know about your obsessive need to protect Yukiko.'**_" "She's my friend, of course I'd protect her. Isn't that what friends are supposed to do?" "_**'But can you call her a true friend? All the time you've known her, you've been trying to keep her to yourself, pushing away others who might come between you.'**_"

"Is that true Yosuke?," Light whispered. Yosuke just shrugged. "Sort of. I mean, yeah Chie tends to fend off guys she thinks might take advantage of Yukiko. But a few days after Narukami arrived, I could swear she was trying to hook the two of them up." The shadow chuckled darkly. "_**'I just can't seem to do anything unless I'm helping Yukiko. In truth, I'm quite jealous of her. She's beautiful, kind, and more popular with the guys.'**_" Chie was really getting peeved. "Shut up!" The other three seemed to know what was happening. "Chie wait!," Yosuke tried to warn her, but too late. "You're not me...," Chie called out, "YOU CAN'T BE ME!" The shadow's laugh turned maniacal as its aura turned the same shade of blood red. As the darkness crept in to transform the shadow, the boys stepped in to keep Chie out of harm's way. "Get ready," Yu said, "Here it comes." The shadow's new form was not as strange as the previous one, but still disturbing to look at. It was humanoid, dressed in a yellow dominatrix uniform and inquisition hood. Long black hair streamed out from behind it, and it sat comfortably on two statues that resembled Yukiko and Chie. Most disturbing of all, the statues seemed to be moving, straining under the shadow's weight.

"_**'I am a shadow, the true self. Don't worry little girl, I'll be sure to take good care of Yukiko.'**_" And with that, it struck with the whip in its hand. Light quickly used the staff of his naginata to catch the whip before it could strike Chie. The two of them got into a tug of war, which was stalemated until Light called out, "Skewer!" Before the shadow could react, Yoshitsune came down on top of it slicing it with his beam blade. "_**'Damn you!'**_" The shadow shot out its hair, which it could control down to the strand, to bind Yoshitsune. With a flick of its locks, it sent Light sprawling. "Bash!" Out of nowhere, Jiraiya slammed his fist into the shadow, nearly causing it to topple off the statues. "Pyro Jack!" At Yu's command, Izanagi disappeared, only to be replaced by a wizard with a pumpkin for a face and a lantern in its hand.

"Hey, how come you got another Persona?," Yosuke said, sounding a little jealous. "It's because of the bond we share," Yu said, "Thanks to a strange power I have called Wild Card, I can use multiple Personae by forming bonds with others." Teddie looked impressed. "That's awesome sensei!" Yu nodded. "Now... Agi!" Flames darted out of Pyro Jack's lantern, lighting up the shadow's hair, allowing Yoshitsune to cut himself free. At the same time, Light managed to get up. "Enough of this... Hama!" Yoshitsune increased the intensity of his beam blade to blinding levels. The shadow screamed in pain at the searing light. As the three of them readied for a final assault, it soon became apparent that it wouldn't be necessary. The shadow was already fading back into the image of Chie. "What gives?," Yosuke said, "We can't have done that much damage." Teddie looked at Light. "Light magic, like the type Yoshitsune uses, has a chance of killing an opponent instantly." _'Instant death,_ _huh?,'_ Light thought,_ 'Guess I can't seem to get away from that.' _Yosuke walked over to Chie. "You okay?"

"I guess," Chie said, looking down, "But I must look pretty pathetic now huh?" Yosuke shook his head. "It's okay to feel like that. But you need to remember that in the end, you and Yukiko are still friends. That is something that will never change." Chie couldn't help but smile. It was times like this that reminded her of why she started to develop a crush on Yosuke in the first place. Walking over to her shadow, which had gotten up, she smiled. "I guess I have been jealous of Yukiko. But she always will be my friend. It really does make sense now." The shadow looked up at Chie. "You're me, and I am you." The familiar flash of blue appeared, turning the shadow into a muscular woman in a yellow body suit, carrying a double-bladed naginata and wearing an elongated biker helmet. Vanishing into a card with a variation of the Chariot, the card fell into Chie's hands. "Tomoe Gozen," she said, "I have my own Persona now." Just then, she started to collapse, but Yosuke was there to catch her.

* * *

Back at the main hub, Chie was weakly trying to stand. "What are we doing back here? We need to save Yukiko." Yosuke caught her again as she started to fall over. "Easy Chie, you're still weak. You need some time to regain your strength. Besides, you don't have the same glasses we have to see through the fog." Chie looked at the others at this statement. "Come to think about it, when did you get those glasses?" "Teddie gave them to us," Light said, "I'm surprised it took you until now to notice." Chie smiled weakly. "I was kinda in a rush to save Yukiko." Teddie pulled another pair from seemingly nowhere and handed them to Chie. "I just finished this pair. These will let you see through the fog." "Come to think about it," Yu said, "You never seem to need these glasses." Teddie nodded. "It's because my eyes are made of the same type of lenses." Chie tried on the pair she was given. "Wow, it's like the fog just disappears." "So then," Light said, "We'll take a day to rest, come back tomorrow, and rescue Yukiko then. It won't be foggy for a few days at least, so we should try to rest." Chie reluctantly agreed. _'Hang in there, Yukiko. We'll be coming for you soon.'_

**Next time:** The gang returns to the fantasy castle, and Chie is pumped up at the thought of test driving her new Persona. The shadow of Yukiko, however, may prove to be a dangerous opponent. It seems there are doubts within Yukiko that could keep her caged for the rest of her life, if they don't kill her first...

**Next chapter: Empress**

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	4. Chapter 4: Empress

**For the record** (This means a flashback sequence.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note or Persona 4**

**Last time:** After seeing a strange TV program about Yukiko on the Midnight Channel, Chie is shocked to learn her best friend has gone missing. Explaining the situation, or at least the parts that are believable, to Dojima, Light gains permission to have Yu and Yosuke join him. Inside the TV world, Chie rushes into the castle where Yukiko is only to be confronted by her shadow. With Yu's new Wild Card power and the bond of the Magician, the gang defeats the shadow and helps Chie come to terms with her inner emotions, and she gains the Persona Tomoe Gozen.

Chapter 4: Empress

(Yukiko sat on the steps near the Samegawa Flood Plain, a little puppy clutched gently in her arms. The rain was coming down hard, but she didn't care. _'If I can't have this dog at home, then I just won't come home anymore.'_ Yukiko cried softly, the puppy whimpering as it licked her tears dry. "Hey there," came a voice behind her. Yukiko turned to see a young girl her own age, with shorter brown hair, carrying an umbrella. "Is that your dog?," the girl asked. Yukiko shook her head. "My parents won't let me keep it in the house. But if I leave it, it will be all alone." "Too bad," the girl said, "It looks really cute." She patted the puppy on the head, who responded with a contented whimper. "Tell you what," the girl said, "Why don't I keep him at my house, and then you can visit him." That sounded good to Yukiko. "Sure." Yukiko stood up. "I'm Yukiko Amagi." The girl extended her hand. "I'm Chie Satonaka." The two shook hands. "I just know we'll be best friends," Chie said.)

"Best friends...," Chie muttered to herself. _'We have to save Yukiko. No matter what it takes. I won't lose my best friend. If she has problems in her life that she needs to face, I'll help her face them. And I know Yu, Light, and Yosuke will be there to help me.'_ "Hey Chie," came Yu's voice, "What are you thinking about?" Chie smiled. "Just the first time me and Yukiko met. It was when we were kids. She was sitting by the river in the rain, holding a little puppy dog." She turned to look at Yu. "Apparently, her parents wouldn't let her keep the dog herself, probably because of the mess it would have made at the inn. So I offered to take care of it for her." She brought out her cell phone and showed Yu a picture a recent picture of her and a now grown-up Saint Bernard. "I still have him. He smells a lot and he's a real pig when it's comes to eating, but he's still the cutest thing ever."

* * *

A day had passed since Chie had gained her Persona, and now she was well rested and ready to go. The gang was back in the castle in the TV world now, and shadows were already attacking. Chie adjusted her new glasses, tapped her shoe on the ground, and shattered her summoned card with a swift kick. "Tomoe Gozen! Skull Cracker!" The female Persona came forth and swung her double-bladed staff around, smashing several shadows to dust instantly. Chie swung a few more kicks to take care of a few more shadows, then ran off still looking for Yukiko. "Isn't that Kung Fu she's using?," Light asked. Yosuke nodded. "She's practically obsessed with it. Practices about two or three hours a day after school." "Hang on, Yukiko," Chie called out as she ran through the halls, "I'm coming!"

* * *

Yukiko slowly awoke. She had no idea how long she had been out, could have been hours, could have been days. As she looked around, her surroundings confused her. _'What's going on here? I thought I was still at the inn. I remember answering the door after hearing the doorbell, and then... And then I'm here? But where is here?'_ It was some strange castle, like out of a fairy tale but darker. Hearing a loud clatter, Yukiko turned her head to see where the noise came from and saw a large birdcage. Recognition flooded across her face. "This is..."

* * *

Back at the ballroom where they had been stopped last time, the gang found themselves face to face with the shadow of Yukiko that had been on the Midnight Channel before. "_'Well, well. Have we contestants for my heart already_?'" The shadow Yukiko turned to greet her "guests". She didn't have the dark aura the others had, not yet anyway, but she did have the trademark yellow eyes. "_'Welcome one and all. Tonight I plan on scoring a whole harem of hot studs. And the best of the best will be the prince I choose to take me away from this dreadful place.'_" _'Okay,'_ Light thought, _'Not too hard to read between the lines on this one. Seems Yukiko may feel stuck with running her family's inn.'_ "Um, Light," Teddie said, "What does 'scoring a hot stud' mean?" Light looked sheepish. "I'll tell you later." "_'Naturally before any young prince can come to take my hand, they must get past my loyal knight first.'_" From the ceiling dropped a knight in grayish armor riding a barding, a type of armor designed for horses.

"_'Go my Avenger Knight. Put these would-be suitors to the test.'_" And with that, the shadow Yukiko ran up the steps behind her and left out the back door. The Avenger Knight raised its lance and swung it straight at Yosuke. Thinking quickly, Yosuke summoned his card and shattered it with a side-spin using his kunai. "Jiraiya! Sukukaja!" Feeling considerably faster, Yosuke was able to jump on top of the lance as it came down. He then ran across it and delivered a fearsome strike to the Avenger Knight. "It's pure armor, but it's more brittle than it looks!" Chie, seeing the lance had stuck in the ground, brought her leg straight up in the air and then brought it smashing down, breaking the lance off at the tip. "Bufu!" In an instant, the Avenger Knight was frozen solid. Chie high-fived Yu. "You're up." Yu nodded. "Cleave!" Light decided to join in as well. "Skewer!" Running side by side, Izanagi and Yoshitsune brought their blades up, slashing through the Avenger Knight in a cross formation. Yu held out his hand for round two. "Zio!" A massive lightning bolt struck the Avenger Knight, causing it to crumble to dust. "Hey Yu," Light said, "I noticed the handle of Izanagi's sword is longer than the blade. Why is that?" Yu just shrugged.

* * *

(Walking home from school one day, Yukiko happened to see a fallen nest with a poor baby bird twittering inside it. "Poor little guy. Don't worry, I'll take care of you." Over the next few days, Yukiko was busy with various guests of the inn, but always made a little bit of time to feed and care for the baby bird. One day, Yukiko walked in to find that she had left the cage door open on accident, and the little bird had flown away. _'It must have known it was strong enough to leave. Why can't I be like that? Why can't I have the strength to fly away from this prison, to break free of this cage?'_ Yukiko never felt sadder than the day that little bird flew away, not because it left her, but because she knew she could never do the same.)

"_**'So sad... I wish I could fly away. Just fly away and leave it all behind.'**_" Yukiko gasped at the voice that came from nowhere. It sounded just like her. Turning to look, she was surprised to see someone who looked just like her, only wearing a fancy pink dress. "Who are you?," she asked in surprise. The other Yukiko smiled. "_**'I'm you of course. And as such, I know all your little secrets.'**_" Suddenly Chie's voice could be heard. "Yukiko!" Yukiko turned to see Chie along with four others, two of which she recognized. "_**'Well, well. Four noble princes here to take me away.'**_" "Four princes," Teddie said, "That must include me." Yosuke sighed. "Hate to shoot you down, but I think she's actually including Chie."

"_**'Chie...'**_" The shadow started to slowly walk down the steps she was on. "_**'Yes. Chie would make a good prince. She's strong, she protects me when I need help. However...'**_" The usual dark aura from before started to appear. "_**'She can't take me away from this place. That's all I really want, to be free of the life I've been handed.'**_" "That... That's not true," Yukiko was almost meek as she said this. "Yukiko," Light called out, "Don't let her get to you." The shadow chuckled. "_**'I just want some prince to come and take me away. Doesn't matter where, just... Somewhere not here.'**_" "No... I... You can't..." Yukiko was holding her head in her hands. Yu realized what was happening.

"Yukiko, don't!," he tried to warn her. But Yukiko screamed at the top of her lungs, "YOU CAN'T BE ME!" The shadow laughed harder and harder as its aura turned blood-red, being swallowed by darkness as the cage next to Yukiko grew larger and trapped her inside. "Yukiko!," Chie yelled out as she ran to help her friend, but the chandelier overhead came down to smash her. Thinking quickly, Yu called out, "Ara Mitama!" An orange-colored magatama with an angry face appeared above Chie and took the blow before the chandelier could kill her. Chie breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks Yu!" Light turned to see that the darkness had pulled back to reveal the shadow's true form. "Oh boy..." It was a giant bird with a human face. The massive wing-span looked too large for the cage it was being held in. The shadow laughed darkly. "_**'I am a shadow, the true self.'**_" The giant cage door swung open, and the massive bird let its wings reach full span before launching a huge amount of fire to engulf the gang.

"Pyro Jack!" Yu changed his Persona again, and the pumpkin-headed Persona used its lantern to absorb much of the fire. Chie kept trying to reach Yukiko, with the others supporting her. _'We have to get her out of harm's way, or else this will all have been for nothing.'_ Yukiko had been staring in horror at the monster her shadow had become. _'Is this really what's inside me? Can she really represent my true feelings?'_ "Yukiko!," came Chie's voice, snapping Yukiko out of her thoughts. "Chie!," she replied, almost joyfully. Chie smiled. "I'm sorry I haven't really paid attention to what was going on with you as of late. And, I want you to know something. Truth is, even though we're friends, I've always been jealous of you." This revelation shocked Yukiko to no end.

"Chie... All this time I've been jealous of you too." "So come on," Chie said, "You can break out of that cage on your own, right?" _'Can I?,'_ Yukiko thought, _'I should at least try.'_ Yukiko pulled on the bars of her cage with all her strength, and was surprised at how easily they broke. Jumping out of the cage, she and Chie embraced. "There ya go," Chie said. She had never been more proud of her friend. Light quickly turned his head and called out, "Makarakarn!" Yoshitsune appeared and turned his beam blade into an energy shield as the shadow launched a massive fire blast.

"We'll have to save the camaraderie for later," Light said. He brought his hand up again. "Skewer!" Yoshitsune struck the shadow with his beam blade. Yosuke readied himself. "My turn. Garu!" A small whirlwind surrounded the shadow, lifting it into the air. Yu held out his hand. "Izanagi! Zio!" Pyro Jack was quickly replaced by Izanagi, who conjured a lightning bolt to strike the shadow in mid-air. Light put his hand on Chie's shoulder. "Last blow's yours this time." Chie nodded. Taking the time to warm up her legs as the shadow fell, she leapt up at the last possible moment, turning in mid-air. "Signature attack... Galactic Punt!" Putting her full strength in her left leg, she struck the shadow with a mighty kick. To everyone's surprise, even her's, the attack sent the shadow flying into the staircase.

"Yukiko's new-found strength must have weakened the shadow tremendously," Light said with a nervous chuckle. The giant bird faded to be replaced with Yukiko's image. As the shadow weakly tried to get up, Yukiko walked over to her. "It seems my life has been laid out for me without any thought as to what I wanted," she said, "But with good friends like Chie, it can be easier to bear." Helping the shadow to her feet, it became surprised when Yukiko pulled her into a hug. "You are me, and I am you." The shadow smiled as it was engulfed in bright blue light. It transformed into a young maiden in a pink jumpsuit with beautiful wings that looked to be made of cherry blossom petals. Fading into a card that looked like the Priestess Arcana, the card fell into Yukiko's hands. "Konohana Sakuya."

As Yu stood there gazing at Yukiko, he thought, _'The Persona represents the strength of one's heart. Which mean that Yukiko has a very beautiful heart.'_ He couldn't help but smile a little. _'Beauty within, and beauty without. Yukiko is truly someone special.'_ He soon became aware of Chie standing next to him smiling wryly at his face. "Whatcha thinking about?" Yu smiled more. "Just that... Yukiko seems even more beautiful now that she has found her inner strength." _'Phase one complete,'_ Chie thought to herself, _'Next step is to find a way to get these two to fall in love.' _Teddie pulled out a pair of glasses for Yukiko.

"Since you'll probably be joining our team now," he said, "I figured I should make these for you." Yukiko took them, and then stared at Teddie. "So, what are you exactly?" Teddie frowned at this. "Isn't it obvious? I'm a bear." Light chuckled. "Teddie here's been helping us with our investigation into the recent murders. His ability to navigate has been real helpful." "Say Teddie," Yosuke said, "You always seem to be real good at finding the right style of glasses for us while we're here." "Yeah, but I don't always succeed." Teddie pulled out a pair of joke glasses, with spiral swirls in the lenses, a funny nose, and a wiry mustache.

"Let me see those," Yukiko said, trying them on. The effect looked pretty goofy, and was all Light and Yosuke could do not to laugh. "Wow, these are pretty interesting," Yukiko said, "But they don't seem to help much. Chie, why don't you try them." Chie groaned, but decided to anyway. The effect was so ridiculous, that slowly Yukiko started to giggle. After a second, she started laughing almost uncontrollably. Chie sighed. "And here I thought she only did that with me." It was then that Yosuke noticed the tape sticking out of Light's pocket. "Hey Light, what's that?" Light wondered what Yosuke was talking about, then remembered he still had the tape he made a few nights ago in his pocket. As they left, Teddie called them, "Wait, are you guys gonna leave me here?" "We have to get Yukiko back to our world so she can recover," Yosuke said, "But it's no big deal right? I mean, you live here." Teddie looked a little forlorn, and Yukiko couldn't help but feel bad for him.

* * *

Yosuke had really wanted to see the contents of the tape, so Light had insisted they at least watch it where Yukiko would be the least embarrassed. The only place was Chie's house, since her folks were still at work. Yukiko seemed to be taking the contents of the tape better than Light thought. "Well," she said, "This is a little embarrassing, but at least it never went farther than that." "How did you make this tape anyway?," Yosuke asked, "Technically the Midnight Channel shows up on a turned off TV. Any recordings would turn to static." Light shrugged. "I just did it like normal as an experiment. I wasn't expecting anything to show up." "Anyway," Yukiko said, "Would you mind erasing all this when this whole thing is over?"

* * *

Later that night, Light was invited to Dojima's house, the main reason being that Adachi had to come over to discuss recent events with him. "Hello there," came a tiny voice. Light looked down to see a little girl about nine or ten years old. "My name is Nanako," the girl said, "Are you daddy's new assistant?" Light realized she must be talking about Dojima when she said "daddy". "Yes, sort of," Light said, "Your father and my father knew each other, and my dad decided I should help with your daddy's work." Nanako smiled and nodded. Light sat down at the dinner table. Yu and Dojima were already there.

"Hey there Light," Dojima said, "I just heard from Yu that you and your team managed to save Ms. Amagi." Adachi almost seemed stunned. "Wait, so Ms. Amagi has been found?" Light thought this statement seemed strange. _'It's true that anyone would be concerned about Yukiko's well-being, but shouldn't a police detective be more concerned about Dojima's nephew helping in the investigation. I mean, technically Yu is a civilian, and the only reason he's being allowed to help is because he's with me.'_ "That reminds me," Dojima said, "My superiors gave the okay for Yu and his friends to help you Light, albeit reluctantly. But Yu, I want you to focus on your studies when there's no action in the case. Since you're not an actual detective, you only have permission to investigate when a possible victim turns up." Yu nodded in understanding. Light's mind was racing again. He had no reason to suspect Adachi. But his words seemed unusual. For, now, he would keep his mind open to other suspects. However...

_'I'll keep you in the corner of my eye, Tohru_ _Adachi_,_'_ Light thought,_ 'I have no proof yet, nor do I currently suspect your involvement. But if my dream about the Death Note is any indication, appearances can be deceiving. It's my experience as an amateur detective that those who have committed multiple murder have a tendency to hide themselves behind a mask of sanity, keeping up appearances to the public while their true nature stays hidden until the last moment alone with a victim. Mayumi Yamano, Saki Konishi, and Yukiko Amagi. Three kidnappings, two murders. I wonder, Adachi, if you are at least aware of the killer's actions.'_

**Next time:** Yukiko takes some time to recuperate after her ordeal. In the meantime, Yu decides it might be a good idea to join one of the sports clubs. Deciding on the basketball club, he meets Kou Ichijo, the team captain, and Ai Ebihara, the team manager. Ai has a crush on Kou, but Kou has a crush on Chie. In the process of getting to know these two, Yu winds up setting Chie up with someone no one expected...

**Next chapter: Emperor**

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	5. Chapter 5: Emperor

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or Death Note.**

**Last time: **With Chie's new Persona came a new-found sense of confidence, and she renewed her resolve to save Yukiko from the TV world. Yukiko, in the meantime, was confronted with her apprehensions about being forced to run the Amagi Inn and her desire to live her own life. When her shadow went berserk, it was Chie's kind words that gave Yukiko the strength to face her own self, earning her the Persona Konohana Sakuya. Meanwhile, a certain question from Adachi, normal on its own but unusual in the present context, has piqued Light's interest.

Chapter 5: Emperor

Light was sitting in the Junes food court going over the case notes so far. His theory about the motive being sexual assault, while not proven as of yet, was taken into consideration and labeled as a possible motive. Although there was evidence that Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi had struggled against their attacker, there was nothing to suggest they had been raped in any way. Shortly after Yukiko had been saved, Light thought it necessary to have her properly examined at the local hospital to check for anything that would suggest she had been assaulted. He was surprised to find that, other than using chloroform to render Yukiko unconscious, her attacker had left her untouched. That puzzled Light. It was as if the killer knew of his theory and decided to change tactics, but not his MO. The fact that no one had seen anything suspicious during these attacks was also unusual. It would be a couple days before Yukiko felt well enough to come back to school. Not that Light could blame her, given the ordeal she had just been through. Fortunately, Yukiko's mother had recovered just as Yukiko was rescued from the TV world.

"Hey Light." Light looked up to see Yu standing there. "I just realized we've been working together for a while now and haven't even had a real chance to talk," Yu said as he sat down, "I mean, about something other than the investigation." Light put away the folder he had been looking through. "Well, I guess if we are going to be working together we should get to know one another. From what I understand, you're actually from out of town." Yu nodded. "My parents are working overseas, so I had to come here for a year. It's really nothing new for me, my parents being major business people. But up until now I've never bothered to get close to anyone, knowing that eventually I'd just have to move somewhere else. This is the first time in my life I've ever tried to make friends." "Heh," Light said, "I guess that makes us a lot alike. I've always been too busy with my studies from an early age to really let people get close to me, always saw them as nothing more than distractions. Well, that was before the dream I had." Yu looked interested. "Dream?" Light sighed. He knew he had to tell his friends sooner or later.

"Imagine a notebook that you can use to kill people just by writing someone's name while thinking of their face. To a degree, you could also control when and how they died. Well, in my dream, I had possession of such a notebook. I had tried to use it to become a god of sorts by killing off criminals, with my MO being the default method of a heart attack. I was seeing myself from a third-person view and I didn't like what I was becoming. Using people, then discarding them when they were no longer useful. When I finally woke up and was given the chance to change my life, I took it, without hesitation. What I saw in TV world only strengthened my resolve." Yu thought back and said, "You mean the morgue from before." Light nodded. "I wonder if any of those people had a similar dream."

* * *

The next day after school, Yu looked at something he had in his notebook. Margaret had mentioned that he could obtain new Personae for his Wild Card ability by forming bonds with those around him, all based around the Major Arcana. He would know by instinct when each Arcana had formed and what they were. As such, he had written down the Arcana in question and wrote the names of each person next to the Arcana. He himself represented the Fool, Yosuke was the Magician, and Chie was the Chariot. He moved his pen next to the word "Judgement" and wrote down the name "Light Yagami".

_'Light is definitely the person Igor and Margaret told me about,'_ Yu thought,_ 'Perhaps during this year, he will find a new destiny laid out before him, and change his fate.' _As Yu walked through the halls wondering what he should do to pass the time until Yukiko got better, he saw several posters on the bulletin board. One of which was for the basketball club. _'Hmm, joining a club might make time go a little faster. I'll see if I can sign up.' _Yu headed for the Practice Building, and wasn't long before he heard the tell-tale sounds of a basketball game. Originally games like basketball and baseball were pure American sports, but they grew so popular that even a country as large as America couldn't keep it to itself. Yu had never played basketball before, although he had seen several games in the past and had a good understanding of the game.

* * *

Inside the court, Light looked around. Everyone was in uniform practicing various drills such as rebounding, lay-ups, and passes. A blue-haired young man Yu's age walked up to him after a bit. "Hey there," he said, "You here to join our club?" Yu nodded. "Cool," the young man said, "I'm Kou Ichijo, the team captain. Say is that guy a friends of yours?" Yu turned to see Light standing behind him. "What are you doing here?," Yu said in surprise. Light shrugged. "I was going to study at the library here since it's the only one around. Even though I'm interning, I still need to take mid-terms for my own school. I saw you walk into this building and decided to follow you." Yu smiled. "Well, alright then. It'll be more fun if I have friend around." Light watched as Yu practiced.

"Hey, you like basketball?," someone said. Light turned to see a young man in gym uniform and a bandage over the bridge of his nose. "Sure," Light said, "I got into a lot of sports growing up, specially tennis and basketball. Fact when I was in junior high I was the local tennis champion two years running." He turned to the young man. "I'm Light Yagami by the way. I never got your name." The other man grinned widely. "I'm Daisuke Nagase. I'm from the soccer club." Kou came running over after seeing Daisuke. "Hey Nagase. Did soccer practice end early today?" Daisuke laughed. "Nah, just thought I'd cut out and see how things are going here. Looks like you picked up a new member." Kou nodded as Yu came over. "Yeah. This is Yu Narukami. Yu tells me you're a friend of his Light." Light nodded. "Yeah we met a few days ago. I came here as an intern to help investigate a recent case for the local police."

* * *

Later that day Yu, Light, Kou, and Daisuke headed for the local restaurant Aiya's. Kou seemed to have a lot on his mind. "What's up?," Yu asked. Kou sighed. "It's just, I can't seem to get into the game like I used to." The four of them entered the restaurant and took their seats. After a waitress stopped by they placed their orders. "You're not still bugged over your family disapproving of you joining the basketball club are you?," Daisuke asked. Kou shook his head. "That's not the problem anymore. You see, my parents managed to have a daughter before dad died." Light realized what the issue was. "You were adopted, weren't you?" Kou looked surprised. "Uh, yeah... How did you know?" Light chuckled as his bowl of nikudon was placed before him. "Why else would you no longer have to worry about your parents approval just because a new child has entered the family?" Kou breathed a heavy sigh as he separated his chopsticks.

"I spent my early years in an orphanage. As much as my birth parents loved me, they couldn't afford to keep me, so they really had no choice. Soon enough, I was adopted by the wealthy Ichijo family. It was a good life, even through my junior high years. I was surprised at how little they expected of me. Apparently my new dad is living on borrowed time, and the family wasn't even sure if he could have a child with mother, so they decided to adopt. Anyway, the one thing they didn't approve of was my joining the basketball club, called it a vulgar sport. It's funny, but right when I was ready to stand up for my choice, I learn that I'm going to have a baby sister soon. Now it's like all the wind's out of my sails." Yu listened intently as he ate his nikudon. "You just need a reason to keep playing, that's all. Find something to put the spark back in your game." "That's a great idea!," Daisuke said excitedly, "Like maybe we could set up an exhibition match against another team!" Yu nodded. "It could take a few days, but it would be a great way to pep you back up Kou, maybe even draw more attention to the club." _'Why not?,'_ Kou thought to himself. "Okay, let's do it." Light smiled at Yu. "You really like listening to other peoples' problems and helping them out, don't you Narukami?" "It's a gift," Yu said as he took another mouthful of nikudon.

* * *

The next day, the whole basketball team had assembled and were going through their usual drills. "Hey," one of the players said, "I think I actually saw Ai Ebihara join us today." "Ai Ebihara?," Yu asked. Kou nodded. "She's the team manager, but she's not always here. I'm not even sure she cares much for the sport." "Aw, I bet she's just out with one of her many boyfriends," said the player from before. Another spoke up, "I actually heard she's got herself a sugar daddy." "Man, I hear that. It's not like you can blame these folks. She's got a sweet ass and an awesome rack..."

"LEAVE HER ALONE!," Kou suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs. Even Yu was caught off-guard by that. Then he heard Light whistle to him. Yu turned to see a young girl with wavy orange hair suddenly leave the court. The two of them ran to catch up with the girl. "Hey Ai, anything wrong?," Light asked. Yu realized Light and Ai must have been talking earlier. "Oh it's nothing," Ai said, "I'm used to it. But it's strange." Yu was now curious. "What is?" Ai turned around and said, "I think... I think I've fallen for Ichijo!" Yu and Light turned to each other and grinned. "Can't say I blame you," Light said, "He did just defend you and all. Honestly I was this close to smacking one of those bastards myself." Ai smiled a little, then turned to Yu. "Since you two are on the same team, can you go and ask if he has anyone he likes?" _'Doesn't seem unreasonable,'_ Yu thought. "Sure."

* * *

Yu managed to find Kou in the changing room. "Hey there Kou. Listen, this may seem like a weird question outta nowhere but," Yu took a deep breathe, "Is there a specific type of girl you like?" Kou looked surprised, then thought to himself, _'Sure I've had a crush on Ai for months now. But, she seems so cold. What I really like is an open, friendly girl. The sort who could be your good friend any day of the week. Someone like...'_ He pulled Yu closer and whispered in his ear. "Actually, I do have a major crush on Chie." Yu's heart sank. Ai wouldn't be happy to hear that. "And while we're at it," Kou said as he pulled away, "I'm really jealous of the fact that you sit next to her everyday." "Don't worry about that," Yu said, "I'm pretty sure she's been trying to get me hooked with Yukiko, who's really more my type anyway." Kou smiled.

"Well then," he said as he slapped Yu on the back, "How about you put in a good word with Chie for me?" And with that, Kou walked out of the changing room. Light peeked in as soon as Kou was out. Walking inside, he was about to say something when a barely audible whimper came out of nowhere. Turning their heads for a while, Light eventually nodded to a nearby storage closet for equipment. Opening it, they found Ai inside, her head buried in her knees sobbing her eyes out. "I figured she'd take the news badly," Yu said. At that moment, Ai suddenly ran past them and out the door. "We'd better follow her and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid," Light said. Yu nodded, and the two of them ran out to follow her.

* * *

"LET ME GO!" Ai was frantically trying to climb over the chain-link fence surrounding the roof of the school. Light and Yu were trying to hold her back. It was clear she trying to commit suicide. "Hold on a second," Yu said, "Think about this. Think about how your parents will feel if you're gone." At that instant, Ai stopped struggling. _'That's right. There are other people in my life. People who would never abandon me.'_ Climbing down off the fence, Ai then sunk to her knees. She buried her face in her face in her hands and started crying again. "It's not fair," she muffled through her hands, "It's just not fair..." After a moment, Ai sat between Light and Yu.

"I always thought it was cute girls who got to fall in love. I mean, I'm a lot prettier than Chie, aren't I?" Neither boy knew how to answer that without hurting Ai's feelings. "Of course, I didn't always look this good," Ai continued, "When I was younger, I was fat and ugly, so much so that I was bullied a lot by the other girls. They'd always call me 'Piggy-Hara'. Well, one day my parents got a great business deal and suddenly we had more money than we'd ever need. I decided that I should change my look to match my new status. So I looked through all the latest fashion magazines, went through lots of diet and exercise so could I shape up my body. I thought that if I could become prettier I could have more friends, and maybe even have a relationship. But to lose the boy I like to someone like Chie..." Yu heard all this and sighed. "Truth be told, you've only gone halfway." Ai looked at Yu in confusion.

"The difference between you and Chie," Yu said, "Is that Chie is always nice and friendly to those around her, so it's hardly surprising that she would have a lot of guy friends. And maybe one or two of them have a crush on her, who knows? I mean, didn't any of those magazines you read teach you that nice girls are better at getting guys?" Ai thought for a second. "Come to think about it," she said with a giggle, "They didn't. None of them said anything about personality. It seems I still have a ways to go." "You know," Light said, "I bet if Kou realized how nice you can be, he'd fall in love with you. But first we need to convince him that Chie is already taken." Yu nodded. "Which means we need to set her up with someone else, preferably someone she knows to make it easier." The two of them thought for a while, then said pointed to each other and said in unison, "Yosuke."

* * *

"YOU WANNA WHAT?!" Chie and Yosuke were both flabbergasted at Yu and Light's suggestion that they go on a date as part of Yu and Light's plan to set up Kou with Ai. While that was happening, Ai was to attend more of the basketball club's activities and try to be a little more open and friendly, with lessons from Light of course. Yosuke looked Yu straight in the eye. "Okay, listen. I may be alright with the idea of helping someone be with the person they love, and I'm not saying occupying the other person's crush is a bad thing. But I'm really not sure if Chie would-" "I'd be glad to..." Both Yu and Yosuke were surprised at Chie's sudden outburst. "However, I choose the location, okay," she said with a wink and a smile. Yosuke nodded blankly. "Sure... I guess..."

* * *

As Yosuke expected, Chie's choice for a date was lunch at Aiya's. Not that Yosuke minded really, since Aiya's was his favorite place to go too. "Say Chie," Yosuke said as munched on an egg roll, "Why were you so quick to agree to this anyway? I mean, it can't just be to help out Kou." Chie smiled at him and said the last thing he thought would come out of her mouth, "I thought it'd be a great excuse to finally go out with you." Yosuke nearly choked when he heard that. "Wait, really?" Chie nodded. '_This is as good a time as any to tell him how I really feel,'_ she thought. "The truth is, that while you do a lot things that piss me off, and warrant a kick to the stomach, you also have a lot of qualities I actually like in a guy." Yosuke blinked. "Really?" He had a hard time believing he could actually live up to Chie's standards. "Well, yeah," Chie said, blushing a little, "You like Hong Kong flicks just as much as I do, you enjoy martial arts in general, you love coming here for nikudon, and the first you notice about a girl is what's above her neck rather than below it."

_'Huh,'_ Yosuke thought, _'I guess her standards are different than I thought.'_ "Actually," Chie said, "I have a serious confession to make. I was kinda jealous when you revealed you had a crush on Saki. It kinda made me feel like I had lost for the first time in my life." Now things were starting to make sense to Yosuke. "So, that hug you gave me after we left the TV world for the second time..." Chie turned even redder, but smiled nonetheless. "Yeah, it's a little embarrassing, but it was on purpose." Yosuke couldn't help but smile. "While it is true that I was in love with Saki, I found the hard way that she never actually loved me. But it seems, I've just been handed a second chance at love." Chie grinned, and realized something. "Hang on," she grabbed Yosuke by the hand, "There's something else we need to do."

* * *

Kou was walking down the street where the shopping district was located. _'Ai's been joining us more and more,'_ he thought, _'Even started cheering us from the sidelines. She's definitely prettier when she's smiling. But why is she sometimes blushing when I look at her. Could she...'_ At that point, he saw a couple coming out of Aiya's. They looked familiar to him... "Oh," he said, "That's Yosuke and... Chie? Wait, are they going out now?" Kou watched them from a distance. They seemed to be leaning in closer together outside the shrine. _'Wait, are they gonna...?'_ As Kou was thinking this, Chie and Yosuke locked lips together. "Well," Kou said as he ducked out of sight, "Seems any chance I may have had with Chie's gone. But, now that Ai is becoming a lot nicer, maybe I'll try her a second time." As he continued walking to his house, Light poked his head out of a nearby alley. "That was easier than I thought."

* * *

A few days later, the basketball club was ready for its big game. Since there were a few extra team members needed for Yasogami High, Daisuke and Light volunteered to step in as additional players. Light, who knew more about basketball, had been giving Daisuke lessons so he didn't accidently embarrass the team. As Kou walked out of the changing room, he saw Ai standing there. "Um...," she said, a little nervous, "Good luck out there." Kou smiled. "Sure. And Ai, after this game is over, win or lose, there's something I want to say to you." And with that, he headed for the court. _'Something to say,'_ Ai thought, _'Will it happen? Will he ask me to be his girlfriend? Will we just stay friends? Well, either way, I'll work hard, so that my heart will not be broken again.' _The two teams faced off, each playing to the best of their abilities despite it being only an exhibition game. Light proved to be one of the better players out there, always acting as a team player. Daisuke was doing good himself, although he did once accidently get a penalty for traveling. Kou was playing harder than he ever had before, spurred on by Ai's cheering. _'This is it,'_ he thought, _'This is the drive I needed. The rush, the excitement. All it took was to play a real game.'_ Five seconds to go, Kou made one final throw to decide the game...

* * *

"Great game everyone!," the team said in unison. The Yasogami High team was at Aiya's celebrating their first real game in forever. Kou's final shot hadn't quite made it, but luckily there was just enough time, barely a second, for Light to make a final leap to push the ball into the net, winning the game for Yasogami High. So now the entire team was celebrating at Aiya's. "Man," Light said, "I am really hungry." The waitress came in with Light's order. "Here's your Rainy Day Special." The Rainy Day Special was Aiya's food challenge that, as the name suggested, was only served on rainy days. And it was raining pretty hard outside. The other folks looked in astonishment at the massive nikudon bowl that was the Rainy Day Challenge.

_'Unreal,' _Yu thought, _'It takes Understanding of your limits, Knowledge to control your pace, Courage to tackle the massive amount of meat, and Diligence to persevere against the colossal challenge. All these are needed to complete the Rainy Day Challenge.'_ "Well," Light said as he separated his chopsticks, "Down the hatch." The gang watched as, after ten minutes of eating, Light actually managed to finish the entire bowl. At the bottom were the words, "Congratulations! Thank you for eating at Aiya's." Light laughed at the stunned faces of his friends. "The real trick is getting as much down as possible before the twenty minute 'hunger wall'." The waitress bowed and said, "Congratulations sir, your meal is on the house." As everyone went home, Kou and Ai were the last to leave.

"Hey Ai," Kou said, "I almost forgot I had something to tell you." Ai looked at him, not sure what to expect. Kou cleared his throat. "These past few days, it's almost like you're a completely different person, in a good way too. So I was wondering, maybe you'd want to go out sometime." "Uh, sure," Ai said, "I mean, I'm a little surprised. I actually heard you liked Chie more." Kou looked shocked. "How did you..." He smiled a little. "I guess you were listening when Yu asked who I liked." Ai nodded. "Chie's nice and all," Kou said, "But in reality she's not my first choice." Ai looked at Kou, surprised. Kou smiled. "I've actually sort of had a crush on you for some time, but you never seemed interested in anyone." "I wasn't," Ai said, blushing a little, "Until you told off those other guys." Kou chuckled a little. He put his hand on Ai's cheek. Ai, somehow knowing what was happening, drew closer to Kou. Before either of them knew it, they had drawn themselves into their very first kiss. It felt perfect, to both of them.

* * *

That night, near midnight, Light was sitting in the living room again. He knew that Yukiko was safe and sound, but it wouldn't hurt to check the Midnight Channel again just in case. Adachi had stepped out, saying he going to grab some soft drinks from the gas station convenience store, which was open twenty-four hours a day. Light checked his watch. _'I still seem to check this thing on a regular basis. Then again, now I have a different reason to.'_ At exactly midnight, the TV flickered on. Light was hardly surprised to find nothing but a grainy screen with no one being shown. Since no one other than Teddie was in the TV world, there was no one to appear. Looking out the window, Light noticed a dense fog had settled over the town.

_'The fog in the TV world must be lifting. Good thing we got Yukiko out of there with more than enough time to spare.' _Meanwhile on the foggy street of the shopping district, a mysterious figure walked down. Looking up and down the various buildings and telephone poles, they seemed somewhat agitated. "Shouldn't she be here? I saw that girl on the Midnight Channel. Maybe she found a way out on her own. Or maybe..." The figure remembered what they had learned about a group of local students led by the new police intern Light Yagami. "But, there's no way they could have access to that world, could they? Not to mention the most recent case fit well with the victims that actually died. Maybe I should try a different type of victim..."

**Next time: **After Yukiko returns to school, she convinces Yu to join the drama club. It goes well, but Yu is surprised to find Daisuke hanging out in the hall every time they meet. Yu learns that Daisuke has a crush on a drama club member named Yumi Ozawa, but is too shy to admit his feelings. Yu and Yukiko decide to help get these two together, but certain family problems have been weighing on Yumi's mind for years...

**Next chapter: Hierophant**

**By the way guys, for those who don't know, nikudon is a beef dish with rice, often served with such things as fried egg or green onions. Oh yeah, send me reviews.**


	6. Chapter 6: Hierophant

**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or Death Note.**

**Last time: **After getting to know Light a little better, Yu joins the basketball club at school and meets Kou Ichijo and Daisuke Nagase. After learning that Kou is starting to lose his spirit for basketball, Daisuke gets the idea to set up an exhibition match to relight Kou's spark. Meanwhile, Yu and Light find out about the team manager, Ai Ebihara, who develops a crush on Kou. After overhearing he likes Chie, however, she tries to kill herself. Light and Yu stop her, and decide to come up with a plan to get Kou and Ai together. After a complex plan that involves getting Chie to date Yosuke, Kou starts to see a better side of Ai and the two officially become a couple. Meanwhile, a mysterious figure has become aware that someone is interfering with their plans.

Chapter 6: Hierophant

Yukiko walked into her homeroom, which she shared with Chie, Yosuke, and Yu. While there was a lot she couldn't remember about that incident, in many ways she wished she had full-blown amnesia. _'A lot of high school kids watch the Midnight Channel hoping to get a glimpse of their soul-mate. But, I think it's pretty clear that's not how it works. Still, that means everyone may have seen how foolish my shadow was acting.'_ As she sat down, she was surprised how few people were actually talking about it or staring at her, as if they didn't take it seriously. What she was really worried about was how Yu thought of her now, having seen the worst of her.

"Hey, did you hear? The social clubs have started accepting new members." As Yukiko overheard this she thought to herself, _'With all the recent help mom's been hiring after my "condition", I could actually join a club.'_ At that point, she saw Yu behind her. _'Maybe this is a good chance to spend some time with him, at least as friends at first.'_ Yukiko had thought it may be a good idea to join Yu and the others and find whoever had been throwing people in the TV. But, while she knew Chie and Yosuke very well, she hadn't really had a chance to get to know Yu or Light. Yu noticed Yukiko looking at him. "What's up?" Yukiko smiled. "I just got a great idea."

* * *

"The drama club?" Yu was little curious as to why Yukiko would want to come here. "I never had the chance to join a school club before, what with being so busy at the inn," Yukiko explained, "But after recent events, my mom thought it best to hire extra staff so I could have a break and be able to focus on school. And really, I thought it might be fun." Yu had been in drama classes before, but he never really had the chance to truly act. Moving from place to place meant he didn't have time to take part in plays or musicals. "Well, I've already joined one club, what's one more for the year?" Inside the club, members seemed to be working on tongue twisters, a useful tool for practicing diction. However one young man, who seemed to be the club president, seemed to be having trouble. After fumbling a line and almost biting his tongue, he noticed Yu and Yukiko.

"Oh, hey there," he said, "You guys here to join?" Yukiko nodded. A young female student with short black hair and a face that almost seemed made for acting up walked over to them. "Hello there," she said, seemingly to Yu, "I'm Yumi Ozawa." One of the other girls chimed in. "Trying to get your hooks in the new guy already. I don't know, it looks like he already has someone." "Please," another student said, "The Amagi Challenge? I wonder how long this guy'll last."

"Now, now," the president intervened, "Let's not scare our new members off or anything." Yumi laughed. "I wasn't trying anything anyway. Besides, in case you haven't noticed, someone else seems interested in me. I'm just waiting for them to make a move." She nodded to just outside one of the windows, and Yu was surprised by who he saw. "Isn't that Daisuke? What's he doing here?" Yumi laughed. "He's been hanging around outside the club ever since I joined. Well, when he's not busy with soccer practice. I wonder why he never bothers talking to me? Hey since you two seem to be friends, maybe you can ask him." "Alright now," the president said, "We need to get to our practicing. Oh yeah, Yumi was planning on making us a script for the culture festival later in the year." Yukiko nodded. "Sounds good."

* * *

Daisuke looked inside as he saw Yumi take her turn for whatever lines they were practicing. He knew it was just acting, but with Yumi it almost seemed real. When she acted joyfully, her face truly beamed. When she acted sad, real tears slid down her face. When she acted angry, her anger was plain as day. As the club adjourned for the day, he felt a brief tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Yu standing behind him. "What's up Daisuke? You hang around here a lot?" Daisuke sighed. He felt like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I guess you probably already know but... I have a crush on Yumi." Yu wondered what Kou would think if he heard that. Then again, it might not matter.

Suddenly another voice chimed in, "It is pretty obvious." Daisuke looked around nervously, but sighed in relief to see it was only Yukiko. The three of them moved to the roof of the school. "Yumi's been on my mind ever since she first came here in her first year," Daisuke said, "I've always wanted to talk to her, ask her out. But whenever she comes near me..." "You probably could just ask her out," Yukiko said, "She seems eager for you to make the first move." Daisuke sighed and looked down at the ground. "I would but... I'm a little shy being around pretty girls on my own." Yukiko couldn't help but giggle at that. "That means the only reason you're okay with me is because Yu's here, right?" Daisuke nodded weakly. Then he got an idea. "Hey Yu. Since you were able to help Kou get with someone he liked, maybe you could help me too." "I probably just got lucky with Kou and Ai," Yu said, "But I might be able to get the ball rolling, at least. However, it'll have to be you who makes the first move in the end. Got it?"

* * *

"So Daisuke's just shy around girls?," Yumi said. Yukiko had found her after class and started talking with her about Daisuke and his feelings. "Well, that's a relief. For a while there, I was starting to think the worst." "Like he may have been checking out one of the other girls?," Yukiko asked. Yumi giggled and then said, "More like he may have been checking out one of the boys." Yukiko face-palmed when she heard that. "I highly doubt he's gay or anything." Yumi couldn't but chortle at this, and it got so infectious Yukiko started laughing at the same time. "Seriously though," Yumi said after she calmed down, "I was kidding about the whole gay thing. I mean the guy actually waits until all his teammates have finished changing before he even gets started showering. There's no way someone like that is interested in men."

As Yukiko and Yumi walked to drama practice, Yumi asked Yukiko, "What about you and Narukami? He seems like a nice guy." Yukiko blushed a little. "Well, he is my type, and he is good-looking. Plus, Chie seems to have been trying to get us together ever since he showed up." "There's a rumor going around that Yu actually saved your life," Yumi said, "Is that true? And if it is, was it a romantic rescue, like in a fairy tale?" _'A Grimm fairy tale,'_ Yukiko thought. "Well, he did save my life after I was kidnapped, but I don't know if I'd call it romantic per se. He wasn't even alone when it happened. He did have a lot of help. Still, he did save me, and I am grateful." "You're blushing again," Yumi said teasingly.

"A-Anyway," Yukiko said, trying to look away from Yumi, "You seem to really get into the drama club. Do you enjoy it that much?" Yumi stopped for a bit. "Sure I do. See, when you're acting, you can be almost anyone. I don't have to worry about the problems in my life... Or my family... I don't have to be Yumi Ozawa... I can just be someone else... Anyone else..." Yumi then realized they were right outside the practice room. "Oh... But... Enough about that. We should head inside and get started." As Yumi entered the drama room, Yukiko realized that there must be something terrible going on in her life. _'I shouldn't be so surprised. It's not like I'm the only one in the world who has problems while every one else lives a perfect life. I wonder what could be weighing down Yumi's heart right now.' _Before practice could even begin, another student came rushing in all flustered. "Yumi, I just got word! It's your mom! She's collapsed and was sent to the hospital!" Yumi gasped. "What?!" She then seemed conflicted. "What should I do? I mean... Practice hasn't even started yet." "Me and Yukiko can go with you," Yu offered. Yumi smiled. "Thanks, you two are good friends." The three of them headed out, and they did not go unnoticed by Daisuke. _'What could have happened? I'd better follow them and find out. I hope everything is okay.'_

* * *

When Daisuke finally caught up to Yumi and the others, they were already at the hospital. Yumi's mother was sitting on a bench outside one of the rooms, apparently fine. Yumi, however, was steaming mad. "Why did you have me come all the way out here? Do you know how worried I was? I thought you had collapsed!" Mrs. Ozawa sighed. "I'm sorry Yumi, but I couldn't think of any other way to get you to come here. You see... Your father came back and... He's not feeling very well. The doctors say he's not long for this world, and he wanted to see you again before he died." Yumi was fuming. "Oh, what, suddenly he's on his deathbed and he expects us to forgive him so easily?! Have you forgotten how he left us?" Mrs. Ozawa sighed. "Say what you want, but I plan on staying by his side until the end." It was all Yumi could to keep control of herself.

"Well fine! It's not my problem anyway!" She stormed down the hall past Yu and Yukiko. When she felt she was far enough away, she sat down on a nearby bench and started sobbing. "How long have you been there?" She was talking to Daisuke. "Long enough. I hope you don't think me sick or anything for eavesdropping?" Yumi shook her head. "It was ten years ago that my dad left us for some bimbo, the sleazebag. Leaving me and Mom all alone... Mom was devastated. And here we are, he winds up sick and decides come crawling back... No doubt after getting dumped by that bitch..." Daisuke cautiously sat down next to Yumi. She let him. She needed someone to listen to her right now. "It just seems so stupid. HE'S the one who left HER, and yet my Mom is willing to just go ahead and forgive him because to her it seems too cruel to leave him alone in his final moments..." Yumi started sobbing into Daisuke's shoulder. Sighing, he put his arm around her shoulder. "I won't deny that your Dad's a big dickhead for leaving you alone like that. And I won't say something sappy just to make you want to forgive him. In the end, it's your choice. But if you need someone to talk to about it, I'll be here." Yumi sniffed. "Thanks Daisuke."

* * *

Yumi still seemed to be depressed after that day, even getting into an argument with the club president. "It just feels like I'm the only one here who's serious about all this," she vented to Yu, "Was I wrong to act out like that?" Yu sighed. "That's not an easy question to answer. But you do have a point, it seems the rest of us are starting to slack off. Of course, me and Yukiko have a good excuse. We're both worried about you. Daisuke too." Yumi smiled at this. "Guess... I'll just keep practicing... At the riverbed or something. Anywhere's better than home." "What's wrong with going home?," Yu asked. Yumi sighed. "It's always empty. Mom's been going straight from work to HIM. Staying there has been drudging up memories I thought I'd long ago forgotten. I hate it..." Yu sighed. _'Looks like every kid can have different problems with their parents.'_

* * *

The next day, Yu and Yukiko were surprised to find Yumi wasn't there. "That's not like her at all," Yukiko said, "She never misses practice." Outside, Daisuke figured there was only one place where she could go. Hurrying to the hospital, he soon found Yumi sitting outside one of the rooms. "Hey there," Yumi said weakly when she saw him. "Something wrong?," Daisuke asked as he sat down next to her. Yumi just nodded. "My mom collapsed from exhaustion earlier today. She's been working non-stop from sunup till sundown and then coming here to look after that man. It just seems stupid. I want to support her... But when I think about what he did to us..." Yumi looked down like she making a big decision that she felt she may regret. "I've decided to quit the drama club. I need the extra time to take care of mom until she gets better." Daisuke nodded his head in understanding. "Listen, you shouldn't push yourself too hard. It kinda seems like a waste, after all the effort you put into this. But, I suppose in this case, family comes first. Just remember you don't have to go it alone." He nodded to Yu and Yukiko, who had followed him to the hospital out of concern for Yumi. Yumi smiled. "Thank you. I really appreciate this."

* * *

That Sunday, Daisuke decided to check and see if Yumi was still at the hospital with her mother. He was surprised to see her outside her Dad's room, her face full of sorrow. "What's up?" Yumi looked at him. "Oh, Daisuke. I was just thinking about Da- I mean... That man." Daisuke looked surprised. "So, your Mom's okay then?" Yumi nodded. "She was released pretty early. I was just on my way to pick up some medicine when I realized I was walking past his door. I don't know what made me go inside." She sighed and looked down. "He got all excited to see me. Offered me all kinds of things, like money for treats and manga, as if to make up for being gone for ten years." Daisuke could see she was holding back tears. He put a hand to her cheek, which Yumi did not reject.

"He's not my father," she said, "I kept telling myself that for ten years... Kept trying to convince myself... I thought he couldn't be since no father that loved their child would leave them. But now... Now I'm not sure of anything anymore..." Yumi broke down and started sobbing into Daisuke's chest. Smiling faintly, he put his arms around her to comfort her. _'What a way to finally get close to her,'_ he thought, _'How did it end up like this?'_

* * *

"Every time we come here I keep worrying Yumi's gonna be the one in a hospital bed," Daisuke said as he and Yu went to check on her again. As soon they reached Mr. Ozawa's room, they heard Yumi's voice. It sounded like she was trying to feed him something. "You need me to cut it? Okay." After a few minutes, Yumi walked out. "Oh, Yu. Daisuke." Yumi smiled weakly. "I've been seeing my Dad more and more lately. He never takes his painkillers, because he says it puts him to sleep. He wants to spend as long as he can awake so he can see Mom and me." "He sounds like a kind father," Yu suggested. Yumi just nodded. "I've forgotten... No, I just wanted to forget... That he was so kind. When I little, we used to play together all the time. Sometimes I wonder how our lives could have been turned upside-down like this. And... I'm scared... Scared of being alone in that room with him breathing. I never know when his last breath will be." Daisuke looked at her. "Yumi..."

* * *

When Daisuke visited alone the next day, he saw the door to Yumi's father's room was open. Looking inside, he saw Yumi and her mother. On the bed was her father, and judging from his appearance, he didn't have much longer. "He'll be able to hear you," the nearby doctor said, "So feel free to talk to him." Yumi's mother walked up to her husband. "Honey, can you hear me? Look, Yumi's here too." Yumi walked up as well. "Dad..." Her father smiled weakly. "Yu...mi... Thank you... You're as kind as your mother..." Yumi shook her head. "But I'm not kind at all..." Yumi's mother put her hand on her shoulder. "But you are dear. I know you can be harsh at times, but you're just protecting yourself. Looking after me and your father, it's easy to see how kind you can be." Yumi's father shed a single tear.

"I'm sorry... Sorry for being so selfish to you both... Yumi, it took many years for your mother and I to find the right name for you. We named you 'Yumi' because it means 'bear fruit'. We wanted you... To have good things in your life. What those things are... Will be up to you... But you... Are the fruit of our happiness..." And with that, he finally breathed his last. "Dad... Daddy..." Yumi was suddenly struck with sorrow. "No... Dad... You never even gave me a chance... A chance to thank you... For bringing me into this world..." Walking out into the hall, Yumi ran into Daisuke.

"He's dead, isn't he?," Daisuke asked her. Yumi nodded, holding back all the tears she could. Smiling faintly, Daisuke put his arms around her. "If you need to cry, then cry. It's better that than hold in your emotion. It can make a heart easier to break." Yumi threw her arms over Daisuke's shoulders and cried more than she ever thought she would. It was as if a great flood-gate had opened in Yumi's eyes. "Daisuke... Thanks for being here. Could we... Could we stay like this a little longer? I don't want to be alone." "Don't worry," Daisuke said as he put one hand on the back of Yumi's head, "I won't be going anywhere anytime soon."

* * *

Everyone at the drama club, except Yu and Yukiko, was surprised to see Yumi return for practice the next day. However, she didn't seem like she was getting into it as much as before. "Yumi, is anything wrong?," Yukiko asked her after class. Yumi smiled. "It's just that, after yesterday, it seems like I don't need to escape my life anymore. For the first time in ten years, it's like everything has meaning. Like I finally know the direction my life can go in." She sat down in one of the chairs that littered the room. "I used acting as a means to escape myself, to escape my life. I wanted to know why father left us, but never wanted to know what his feelings were. I never paid attention to what was right in front of me, because I didn't want to see it." Yu smiled at her. "Seems you've finally come to accept yourself." Yumi smiled. "And I have you, Yukiko, and Daisuke to thank. Oh, that reminds me." She headed out the door and to the soccer field.

* * *

Daisuke finished up his practice for the day and saw Yumi standing outside the field waiting for him. After he finished cleaning up, he met her outside. "So, I take it you've found your answers?" Yumi shook her head. "But I am ready to start looking. Today was my last day at drama club. I always loved acting, or thought I did. But it was just an excuse not to be me, to get away from my life. But in the end, I can no longer run. Sooner or later, every play must have it's curtain call. I have to live my own life now, because I'm the only one who can live it." She turned to Daisuke. "That reminds me. I never mentioned the fact that every kind word you've said to me was from various romance plays." "Uh..." Daisuke again felt like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. Yumi laughed.

"Don't worry about it. The lines may have been borrowed, but you did know the right times to say them, so it's still romantic." Daisuke smiled at her. "I'm normally not good around girls on my own. You probably already know this, but I can be shy around them, at least when I'm alone. But, the thing is Yumi, I think I'm in love with you." Yumi smiled back and put her arms around Daisuke's shoulders. "You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that." The two sealed their new-found relationship with a kiss. Yukiko had been watching from a distance. _'Maybe one day,'_ she thought, _'Yu and I can be like that.'_

**Next time: **Dojima is forced to cancel his plans with his daughter Nanako for Golden Week, but luckily Yu and his friends are willing to make up for that themselves. Then after the school mid-terms, Yu meets a fox that is apparently the guardian of the local shrine, and wants Yu's help in gaining more donations. All this, and the next victim is soon made known...

**Next chapter: Lovers**

**Not as long as I thought it would be, but I believe it may be more heart-rending. Anyway, leave me some reviews.**


	7. Chapter 7: Lovers

**Back after a week! Sorry for taking so long to upload, but I had to do some MAJOR revisions. Hopefully this will make up for it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own P4 or Death Note.**

Chapter 7: Lovers

_'Rainy season will start soon,'_ Light thought, pouring over the case notes for what he felt was the one-thousandth time, _'It'd be perfect weather for keeping an eye on the Midnight Channel.'_ As he walked into the lobby to grab some lunch, he saw two police offers leading what looked like a blonde biker thug in handcuffs. Seeing Adachi leaving as well, Light asked, "Who's that?" Adachi turned to where Light was pointing. "I think his name is Kanji Tatsumi. He's being held under suspicion of being involved with a local biker gang." Light turned to look at him as the officers led him into a holding cell. "Sure looks the part." Adachi nodded. "Course this isn't the first time we've had problems with him. He's been in and out of here a lot. Never for long since his crimes are minor, limited to public disturbances. And there's always someone managing to find a reason to justify his actions. He'll be out by nightfall tops."

* * *

Later that evening at the Dojima household, Yu was sitting at dinner with Dojima and Nanako. "Since the Amagi case has been closed, it seems I get a few days off," Dojima said, "Just in time for Golden Week." Nanako looked excited. "Does this mean we can do something for Golden Week together?" Dojima nodded, smiling. "Yay!," Nanako cheered, "That means Yu comes too! We can go to Junes and have a big picnic!" Yu smiled. It looked like Dojima was finally going to get some much-needed time with his daughter. Just then a news report came on about the biker gang incident.

"Jeez," Dojima said as he rubbed the back of his head, "What's the point of censoring the kid's face?" Yu looked at the TV and then back to Dojima. "So you know him?" Dojima nodded. "Just about everyone knows him. His name is Kanji Tatsumi. I've run into him on more than one occasion while on the job. Apparently he recently took down an entire one-hundred-man biker gang, by himself no less. For some reason a few rumor-spreading punks claim he took over the gang once every last one of them was laid out. We found nothing to suggest that was the case and had him released a few hours ago." Yu looked back at the news report, which showed Kanji angrily punching the camera. _'Kanji Tatsumi. Wouldn't want to get on his bad side.'_

* * *

The next day was the start of Golden Week, a week-long string of Japanese holidays. For students of Yasogami high, they had been given the entire week off. Yu decided to check out the local shrine. He had heard a few rumors about it, but never had the chance to check it out. No sooner did he enter than he felt something in the air. It may have been his connection to the Personae, but he could almost feel a divine presence emanating from the shrine. It almost felt faint though, as though the disrepair of the shrine was effecting it. Just then, a small reddish-brown fox wearing a neckerchief jumped down from the roof of the shrine. It looked at Yu with a knowing look in its eye. In its mouth was a ema, a wooden board for writing requests to the spirits.

Yu could already tell what it was the fox wanted and said, "You want me to help make that wish come true?" The fox growled gently and nodded. Clearly this fox could understand humans. Perhaps it was the shrine spirit using the guise of a fox to walk among humans. Yu took the ema from the fox's mouth and read it. It read, "Please help me cure my aching back." There were also several leaves on the back of the ema. Suddenly the fox turned its head toward the shrine entrance and dashed off. Yu turned to see an old man walking toward him. "Hello there young man," he said, "Have you come to pay respect to the shrine?" Yu noted the old man was hunched over, and seemed to be holding his back as if in pain. _'Maybe he's the one who wrote the ema,' _Yu thought. He took out one of the leaves the fox had given him. The old man's eyes suddenly grew wide.

"Why, I know that leaf! It's a special herb that can cure any muscle ache mere seconds after ingesting it. Those only grow in a remote part of the mountains. Oh, perhaps the spirits have heard my request and brought them here." "Since you seem to be in need of them," Yu said, "Take this." The old man took the herb from Yu. "Thank you, young man." The old man placed the herb in his mouth, chewed for a few seconds, then swallowed. After a few seconds, he tried straightening out his back.

"Ah," the old man said with a contented sigh, "I feel almost fifty years younger. Now I can get back to my duties. You see, I happen to be the caretaker of the shrine. But with all the new gadgets and gizmos young folks have these days, it doesn't get visited as often. If we had a little more money, we could afford to refurbish it, maybe bring some more attention to it. Oh, that reminds me. I must leave an offering for the spirits." The old man walked over to the offering casket and deposited a nice sum of money. As he left, the fox returned. Checking the casket, it gave a contented bark at the offering. It then pointed to several more emas hanging on the ropes.

"What's with the fox?," came Yosuke's voice. Yu turned to see him and Light walk into the shrine. This time the fox did not run. "That doesn't seem to be any ordinary fox," Light exclaimed, "It has an unusually calming aura around it." Yosuke nodded. "Yeah I feel it too." The fox almost seemed to grin as it closed its eyes. Reaching under the offering casket, it pulled out more of the same type of herb Yu had just given to the old man. It pointed first to the leaves, and then to the casket. "I think it's saying if we pay an offering, it'll let us have some of those leaves," Yosuke said. "That's good," Yu said, "They have healing properties, and could come in handy if we ever have to go back in the TV."

"What about the emas hanging on the ropes?," Light asked. The fox pointed first to the emas, then to the casket, then to the leaves. Yosuke nodded. "It's saying if we help to fulfill the requests, it'll give us a discount on the leaves." The fox nodded. Light was impressed. "You're pretty good at figuring things out. If only you applied that much thinking power to your studies, you could be a high-ranking student." "A-Anyway," Yosuke said, "Let's start with an easy one." He pulled down an ema that read, "Please help me find love." Yosuke looked at it for a bit. "I think I know the girl who fits this handwriting," he said after a few seconds, "If we can find her and help her with the request, perhaps she'll make an offering that can help the shrine."

* * *

The trio ran into the girl in question at the Junes food court. "Excuse me," Yu said to her, "Did you write this ema?" The girl looked at Yu, and then blushed. "How... How did you know that?" Yosuke sighed. "You really need to learn subtlety Narukami." The girl looked over to a young man about her age sitting by himself at another table. "I really want to talk to him," she said, "But I don't know how he feels about me." Yu turned to her. "You should ask him. Some guys prefer it if a girl is honest about her feelings." The girl looked a little shy as she blushed. "Really? Well, I guess I could try." She got up and walked to the boy's table. They seemed to talk for a minutes, before the girl smiled widely with her eyes lighting up. "It turns out he likes me too!," she said as she and the boy passed by Yu and the others, "But he was just as shy as me. Now we're going on our first date! I need to remember to stop by the shrine on the way and make an offering."

* * *

Back at the shrine, it seemed like the girl had made good on her promise. "Since we have some time," Yosuke said, "Why don't we do another one?" Light's stomach rumbled. "Actually, I should probably grab dinner. See you tomorrow." Yu nodded and read the ema. "I wish I no longer craved snacks." Yosuke checked it out. "Judging from the writing, we're looking for a woman about twenty or so and whose either dieting, or gotten off a diet." "Then let's check around places that sell snack foods," Yu said. As they headed back down the market street, they overhead a young woman complaining. "No, come on. You need willpower. Oh, but those snack are so tempting. I just got off my diet at long last, what will happen if I become fat again? If only there was a yucky snack that could get my mind off these other snacks."

"I think we found who wrote the ema," Yu said. Yosuke thought. "A yucky snack, huh? Come to think about it, Chie has a certain type she enjoys, but everyone else seems to hate." "What is it?," Yu asked. Yosuke pointed behind Yu. "Just ask her. She's coming over right now." Chie seemed to be chewing on something as she walked. She soon noticed the guys. "Hey there, what's up?" "Hey Chie," Yosuke asked her, "What was that strange snack you liked so much?" Chie tilted her head in confusion for a second, then realized something. "Oh, you must mean my meat gum." She handed a stick to Yosuke. "Don't know what you want it for, but here." Yosuke walked over to the lady and offered her the gum. Judging from the disgusted look on her face, she didn't seem to like it. "Well," she said, "That should keep me off snacks for a while. I think I'll go put an offering in the shrine on the way home."

* * *

Chie and Yukiko accompanied Yu to the shrine the next day. He had already explained the situation with the fox to them, and they both had to admit the shrine did have a mystic feel to it. "Do you think our ability to sense the spirits here has anything to do with our power of Persona?," Yukiko asked. Yu shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure, but it seems the most likely explanation. The fox spirit who watches over the shrine here must not be very strong though, or else it would go out and fulfill these requests itself." The fox spirit, who had shown up while Yu was talking, barked in agreement. "Whoa," Chie said, "It's got two tails."

"Perhaps it is growing stronger due to the local people coming here more often," Yukiko said, "Foxes in mythology are said to be magic creatures. The more tails a fox had, the more powerful it was supposed to be. The most powerful ones had nine tails." Chie nodded, then noticed one of the emas. "This one looks like a little kid wrote on it," she said, "Please help my dog come home." Yukiko seemed lost in thought. "I remember seeing a little dog near the flood plains just yesterday. It had a collar, so I assumed it had an owner and simply got lost. Poor thing must be starving by know." "Well then," Chie said, "We'll just have to get it some food. And I know the perfect food for a hungry dog." Chie went to the open-grill chef next to the Aiya's and ordered one of the steak skewers.

Satisfied, Chie said, "Now, let's go find that dog." As it happened, the little dog was right were Yukiko had found him yesterday. Chie handed the steak skewer to Yukiko. "You'd better feed him," she said, "I have a feeling he's more comfortable around you." Yukiko pulled one of the steaks off the skewer and offered it to the puppy. He sniffed a little first, then gobbled up the steak cube. Yukiko kept feeding him one steak cube at a time until he was satisfied. Barking excitedly, the little dog ran off. "He's probably gone back to his owners," Yu suggested, "We should check by the shrine just in case."

* * *

Outside the shrine, the three of them saw the puppy in the arms of a little boy. The dog was excitedly licking the kid's cheek. Checking inside the shrine, Yu saw there was a little more money in the casket and the fox had a third tail. "What else can we do today?," Yu said to himself as he checked the emas. He found one that read, "I want to make some friends." It looked like it was written by another child. "Let me see what I can do with this," Yu said. He looked around town until he found a young kid looking lonely. He turned to look at Yu. "Hey there, are you looking for something?"

"Did you by chance leave an ema at the shrine asking for friends?," Yu asked. The kid nodded. "How did you know that?" Yu giggled a little. "Would you believe a little fox told me?" The kid nearly burst out laughing. Then he sighed. "I've been having a tough time getting other kids to even start a conversation with me. I thought maybe if I get a cool sticker, that would at least get my foot in the door. Think you can tell me where I can find such a sticker." Yu noticed Nanako playing near the river's edge. "I may know someone who does." He went over to Nanako. The boy observed them talking back and forth until Nanako handed Yu what looked like a sticker.

"Maybe this will get those kids' attention," Yu said as he handed the sticker to the boy. "Whoa!," the kid said in excitement, "That's a Tankiriman sticker! Those are super rare! I'm sure to get the other kids talking to me now! Oh yeah, I should leave an offering at the shrine." The kid ran off, sticker in hand. Nanako walked up to Yu and said, "I hope I was able to help." Yu smiled at her. "I think you were. I'm just surprised that you would so easily let go of a super rare sticker." Nanako giggled. "I actually have another one at home. There are only five of those in existence you know."

* * *

Yu and Light returned to the shrine the next day. The fox, now with four tails, seemed really pleased with how many people were starting to come to the shrine to leave offerings. "Since we're here," Light said, "Shall we help with another request?" He pulled an ema off the rope and read it. "I wish my life would have meaning again." "I hope we don't have to stop another suicide attempt," Light said with a nervous look on his face. "It may not be that serious," Yu said, noticing a depressed man closing down his store. The two friends walked over to him.

"Anything wrong?," Yu asked. The man sighed. "I've just been forced to close down my store due to the competition. The kids these days are going after all the shiny new toys they have at Junes. Back in the day, it was all about making models like this one. That takes real skill and diligence." Yu nodded and said, "How about me and Light here try building that model where lots of kids will see it? It may get them interested." The man looked almost hopeful. "All right then." He handed the model to Yu. "Where are we going to build this?," Light asked. Yu turned to him. "At the Junes food court of course. It's the best place to get noticed."

* * *

After setting the cloth on the largest unoccupied table at the food court, Light and Yu got started. The two worked well together, with Yu giving good, clear instructions and Light working even the most delicate pieces expertly. "Hey guys," Yosuke said when he saw the two of them, "What's that you're working on?" Light looked up at him. "It's one of those model robots. We got it from a store owner that had to close down his shop." "Really?," Yosuke said, "That's a shame. Dad's always saying we need better inventory. Say, since this guy probably needs a new job, I can ask dad to hire him. These model robots seem to be pretty popular." There was a large group of people around Light and Yu's workplace. A lot of the kids were chatting excitedly, many wanting a model robot of their own. "Mission accomplished I'd say," Light said as he put the finishing touches on the newly assembled and painted X-095 model.

* * *

The next day, Wednesday, saw the five friends doing three more requests to bring more life to the shrine. Yukiko helped one girl speak better. Yosuke helped a young man get over his fear of cats. Yu helped an old man retrieve his wallet. Each one brought more offerings to the shrine and gave the fox another tail, until it had eight. When Yu got home that night, he saw Nanako looking all depressed. "What's wrong?," he asked her. Nanako sighed.

"Dad called. He said he couldn't make it for Golden Week tomorrow. One of the other detectives got sick and the case they were working on couldn't be put on hold." Seeing Nanako depressed, Yu decided to try a simple magic trick he knew. Balling his left hand into a fist, he positioned his right hand over the index finger in such a way that his left index and right thumb were touching at the knuckle and his right index was over the gap between them. When Nanako looked at what Yu was doing, he made it appear that he was magically separating his index finger. "Wow!," Nanako squealed in delight, "How did you do that? That was amazing!"

* * *

The next day, there came a knock at front door. When Yu went to open it, he saw Chie standing there. "Hey Yu. We were all getting together to go to Junes. Wanna come? Yukiko will be there." The idea of spending time with his friends, especially Yukiko, seemed good to Yu. But with Dojima gone for the day, he felt he couldn't leave Nanako alone in the house. "Sorry," he said. Chie wondered why he sounded so somber, until she saw Nanako nervously standing behind Yu. "Hey there," Chie said, "You must Nanako. Yu, if you're worried about leaving her alone then she should come with us." Nanako looked surprised. "Can I really?" Yu nodded. _'Better than leaving her alone in the house.'_

* * *

"TA-DA!," Yosuke said with pride, "Our brand new quality steak." "Awesome," Chie said, her mouth drooling. Chie really loved her steak, almost as much as Yosuke. "The quality is a lot better than I thought it would be for a mega store like this," Light said. Nanako seemed to be especially enjoying herself. As the store jingle came on over the loudspeaker, Nanako sang along, "Everyday's great at your Junes~ I love Junes!" "Wow," Yosuke said, "And here I was worried this might have been the wrong place to take Nanako." Nanako smiled widely. "The only thing missing is the picnic. Yu was supposed to make a picnic for me, him, and Dad."

"Oh really," Yosuke said, "So Big Bro was supposed to make a big picnic basket huh? That's actually pretty awesome." "Huh?," Nanako seemed interested, "Big Bro?" Now that she thought about it, even though she and Yu were cousins, he did seem to act more like a big brother. "Yeah," Nanako said, "From now one, I'll call you Big Bro!" Yu smiled. "I'd like that." "Say," Chie said, "Just how good are Yu's cooking skills compared to the rest of us." Light thought. "At the risk of my manhood, I'd wager Yu's cooking is better than at least Chie's." Chie scowled at this. "My cooking's not that bad, right Yosuke?" Yosuke choose his words carefully. "Well, it is edible. But I wonder why you never try out your own cooking." Yosuke braced himself, but Chie just said, "You think I should start?" Yosuke breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

That night, Yu and Nanako were surprised to hear Dojima return from work. "Whew," Dojima said, "Sorry for missing out today." Nanako shook her head and smiled. "That's okay. Big Bro and his friends were nice enough to hang out with me today." "Is that so?," Dojima said with a smile, "Well that was nice of them. Oh by the way, I picked up something for you for Children's Day." He brought out a Junes bag, causing Nanako's face to light up. Inside was a kid's size t-shirt with a picture of a platypus on the front. "Wow," Nanako said with a giggle, "That's such a funny picture." Dojima handed a set of purple swim trunks with a multi-colored stripe down the right leg. "Didn't want you to feel left out," Dojima said. Yu smiled. "These are cool."

* * *

That weekend, the gang was group studying for the upcoming mid-terms. Even though Light was interning, he still had to take mid-terms. The difference was that Light's test would be mailed to his school back in the city and the results would be mailed back. Yosuke was sleeping on the table, close to drooling over his notes, when Light took the staff part of his naginata and slapped it against the table to wake Yosuke. "That's gets annoying after a while Light," Yosuke said. Light just shrugged. "Then stop sleeping while studying." Chie groaned. "How do you stay on top of everything Light?" "I have a little bit of a gift," Light said, "I happen to have a photographic memory."

"Okay," Yu said after they finished studying, "Now for something Yosuke will definitely stay awake for. Our thoughts on the case." Yukiko nodded. "I'm surprised there were no attacks during Golden Week. Maybe they decided to wait for it to actually rain first?" "I've been thinking about that," Yosuke said, "So far here's what we know. When a person is about to be thrown into the TV world, there's a fuzzy black and white picture of them on the Midnight Channel. Think of it as a sort of ransom note. When someone is actually thrown in, we get a clear picture and a program of sorts done by the shadow of the person thrown in the TV."

"Thus far we have no leads as to what the killer's motives might be," Light said, "At first I thought it might be sexual assault, but Yukiko's case now makes me think the killer had something different in mind. However, his targets may be easier to predict. The first victim was Mayumi Yamano, a popular TV announcer. Then we have the second victim, Saki Konishi, who discovered Ms. Yamano's body. Then we have the third victim, Yukiko, so far the only one to survive. Can you guess a connection between her and either of the others?" "Well," Yukiko said, "Obviously Saki went to the same school as the rest of us except for Light. But the only thing that connects me to Ms. Yamano is the fact that she stayed at our family's inn."

"That's still a connection," Yosuke said, "For now, we know only that the killer is targeting any woman who happens to be connected to Ms. Yamano. As for motive, there are too many theories floating about on that and speculation gets us nowhere." Light clasped his hands together. "With the rainy season coming up, more opportunities for the Midnight Channel to appear will be available. I recommend we keep one eye on it whenever possible. It's our only advantage over the killer so far." "With that in mind," Yu said, "We should keep our other eye on the weather reports. We need to know when it will rain, and more importantly, when the fog will roll in." "And whenever we need to make a move on the TV world or convene for an important meeting," Yosuke said, "We'll meet up right here. It'll be our secret headquarters."

"Isn't that a little obvious?," Chie said. Light shook his head. "There's nothing suspicious about a group of friends meeting at mega store food court, even on a regular basis. And with so many people focused on what they are doing, as long as we don't raise our voices too high there will be little chance of eavesdropping. Remember that only Dojima and his superiors know about our task force. He may have let slip to Adachi about our activities, but played it off as us playing a game of sorts." "Some game," Yukiko said, "People's lives are stake. What kind of twisted sicko would play a game like that?" "Why don't we ask him when we catch him?," Chie suggested.

* * *

The next week after mid-terms, Light returned to Adachi's feeling confident about his work on the test. Adachi was watching some Japanese game show while munching on cabbage. "What is it with you and cabbage?," Light asked. "Well for starters it's good for you," Adachi retorted as he took another bite. Light sighed. "Even something that's good for you can turn bad if taken to excess." "Whatever," Adachi said as he got up and stretched, "I'm heading for bed." Light noted that the rain that started to fall outside. From the look of it, it wouldn't stop until morning. _'Perfect time to check the Midnight Channel. Wonder who we'll see tonight.'_ As soon as midnight hit, the TV Light was watching flickered on. Surprisingly, it was a guy this time, one that Light thought was rather familiar. "Is that," he whispered, "Kanji Tatsumi?"

**Next time: **With Kanji being the next potential victim, the Investigation Team is forced to reevaluate their thoughts on the killer. Deciding a good course of action would be to tail Kanji, complications arise in the form of misunderstandings and mysterious new detective...

**Next chapter: Chariot**

**Wow! This was my longest chapter yet. Anyway, send those reviews.**


	8. Chapter 8: Chariot

**In this chapter, one of the characters will be stringing words together kindoflikethis. That simply means the person is running their mouth without making time to breath.**

**Disclaimer: Persona 4 and Death Note... Ain't mine.**

**Last time:** Upon meeting a mysterious fox, who in fact appeared to be a benevolent kyuubi, Yu and the gang started doing various tasks during Golden Week to help people throughout Inaba have their wishes to the local shrine granted. Unfortunately, Nanako got some bad news as her father was unable to join her for Golden Week as he had originally promised. In order to cheer her up, Yu offered to let her hang out with his friends at Junes. After discussing the case the following week, Light and Yosuke came up with some educated theories regarding the killer. Now it looks like Kanji Tatsumi, a local troublemaker, may be the next victim.

Chapter 8: Chariot

"Kanji Tatsumi?," Chie said in surprise. They had all seen what looked like Kanji's silhouette on the Midnight Channel last night, but that seemed to contradict everything they thought they knew about the case so far. "At the very least I would say the next target is a guy," Light said. Yosuke slumped back in his seat and crossed his arms. He was visibly upset about the current development. "There goes our theory about how the victims are connected. It goes without saying that Kanji is no woman. And to the best of my knowledge he had no connection with Mayumi Yamano." Yu shook his head. "We don't know that yet. About him having a connection I mean. None of us really know him that well."

"Well actually," Yukiko said, "I used to know him when we were younger." Light turned to her, surprised. "Really? But how?" "Kanji's family runs a textile shop," Yukiko explained, "My family's inn always orders various materials from there for business purposes. In fact I still visit quite frequently." She suddenly looked forlorn. "Truth is. Kanji wasn't always the delinquent his seems to be now." Light clasped his hands together and closed his eyes in thought. "Our original theory about all the victims being women might have gone down the toilet. However, it seems Kanji may have a connection to Ms. Yamano after all, albeit an indirect one."

"I've also been doing some thinking since the last night," Yosuke said, "And I think I may have come up with a stronger connection between all the victims. Several days before Ms. Yamano was found dead, there was the news report about her affair with Namatame. Then there was the TV interview with Saki, after which she was found dead." Yu nodded in understanding. "As I recall, Yukiko also did an interview before she was kidnapped. And two weeks ago Kanji was involved with a news report about the local biker gangs." "So then," Chie said, "It seems our original theory was off, and the true connection between them is that they all had appearances on TV." Light nodded. "Though more the news than TV. In any event, our knowledge of the next victim before the killer has even made his move gives us an advantage. We can trail him in hopes of catching the killer in the act."

* * *

Light walked into the station to inform Dojima of the gang's next move. Dojima was talking to what at first glance looked like a young man. He was dressed as some sort of manga detective, and his short blue hair vaguely reminded Light of L. "So you already have a team investigating this matter," the young man said, "Then I'll try not to get in their way. It might be interesting to see which of us solves the case first." The young man turned to leave, but stopped when he saw Light. "Oh, so we meet again." Light looked puzzled. "Again? I don't recall seeing anyone who looked like you before." The young man nodded. "Maybe, but I looked a little different the last time we met. Do you remember the Shirogane case?"

"Oh!," Light realized. It was about a year ago when Light had helped his father Soichiro solve the murder of two prominent detectives, Renji and Yayoi Shirogane. The culprit, it turned out, was the very person they had been investigating at the time. Light remembered afterward, when he gave the news to Renji's father, how he had seen the only child of the two detectives. He had never caught the child's name though. The young man before him smiled. "It looks like you remember. You should know I've always looked up to you as a fellow detective. Having said that, I intend to be the first one to solve this case. I look forward to seeing the outcome of our individual investigations." And with that, the young man walked out the door.

Dojima looked at Light and said, "So you know him?" "Not personally," Light said, "Though I believe I may have seen him before." "He showed up out of the blue about a year ago," Dojima said as he looked over the more recent notes, "But he's already one step behind you in terms of detective ranking." "Ranking?," came Adachi's voice from behind a stack of papers. Light couldn't help but laugh at Adachi's predicament. "Right now," he said, "the five greatest detectives are L, Eraldo Coil, Denueve, myself, and that young man." "His name is Naoto," Dojima said, "Naoto Shirogane. He claims to be the only child of Renji and Yayoi Shirogane." Light frowned. "That is strange. I recall the child of those two to be a daughter."

* * *

"So that kid Naoto was put on the case?," Yosuke said as they walked to Tatsumi Textiles the next day. Light had informed Dojima about Kanji being the next possible victim and had been granted permission to shadow him for information. "Dojima's not to happy about it," Light said to Yosuke, "But apparently the higher-ups in the police department wanted extra insurance that the case would be solved, and out of the five greatest detectives in the world, me and Naoto are the easiest to reach. Especially since Naoto lives right here in Inaba." Chie seemed frazzled by this. "Well... That does make it... Convenient." Light hadn't mentioned his suspicions about Naoto's true identity. True the face he had seen on the young man from yesterday was Naoto's real face, so Light was sure the name he gave was legit. It was Naoto's gender that Light was calling into question.

"This is the place," Yukiko said when they were in front of the textile shop. Walking inside, Light saw Naoto talking to a middle-aged women in a kimono that he assumed was Kanji's mother. "Oh," the women said she saw the new visitors, "Why Yukiko, how nice to see you again." Naoto tipped his hat to the women and said, "Well now, I suppose I'll take my leave. Our conversation has given me much to think about." Naoto walked out the door, giving a passing glance to Light. "So that was him, huh?," Yosuke asked Light, "Naoto was it?" Light nodded. "So Mrs. Tatsumi," Yukiko said, "Is Kanji home?" Mrs. Tatsumi shook her head. "I'm sorry he stepped out for a bit. You know, I heard about the incident from two weeks ago. In truth, Kanji was only trying to make sure those hooligans wouldn't disturb my sleep anymore. He can be rough around the edges, but he's a very kind person."

"Hmm." Yu had been distracted the whole time by a certain scarf he saw hanging on one of the racks. "What's up Yu?," Light said when he saw Yu's face. Yu pointed at the scarf. "I've seen this before." Chie, Yukiko, and Yosuke took a look at it. Then Chie's face lit up. "Oh I know! It was in that room. You know, the one with all the faceless posters." "I get it," Light said, "This must have been Ms. Yamano's scarf." Mrs. Tatsumi nodded. "Yes, she had that scarf special ordered about three days before she died. I decided not to waste it by displaying it for sale. Did any of you know Ms. Yamano?" Light shook his head. "Not personally."

* * *

Outside, the gang saw Naoto talking to a big dude in leather. Light recognized him first. "That's Kanji!" The five of them quickly ducked behind a nearby telephone pole. Naoto, as it happened, had bumped into Kanji not long after leaving the shop. "So then," he said, "I'll see you tomorrow after school. I must admit, I find you quite interesting." He was of course talking about Kanji's involvement with the case, but the statement actually made Kanji blush, which didn't go unnoticed by the gang. As Naoto walked off, Kanji seemed flustered. "A dude... Is interested in me...?" He turned his head to the side, and saw Yu and the others out of the corner of eye. "Hey!," he screamed, "What are you doing around here?!" "Busted," Yosuke said, "Move it!" All of them except Light ran off. Light just waved good-bye to Kanji and nonchalantly walked off, leaving Kanji dumbfounded.

"That was close," Yosuke said, out of breath. He and the others had found refuge at the shrine. Yu saw Light walk up slowly and wondered why Kanji had left him alone. "You know you guys just look suspicious if you run off like that," Light said, "Anyway, I caught a snippet of what he and Naoto were talking about. It seems they're meeting each other tomorrow after school. For the record, I'm sure Naoto's just investigating him like we are." "Maybe," Chie said, "But did you see Kanji blush at Naoto's words. You don't think he swings that way do you?" This got her strange looks from the others. Yosuke sighed. "Let's not bring up Kanji being gay if we can help it, alright? Having said that, Naoto's interest in him may cause Kanji to be confused about himself."

"That reminds me," Light said, "We need to exchange phone numbers. That way we can keep in touch for investigation purposes." "Of course, a little friendly conversation every once in a while works too," Chie said, blushing. It was clear Yosuke had been calling her on a regular basis, though for what Light decided not to ask. With their plans made, they each walked home separately. Yukiko decided to walk home with Chie. "Say Chie," Yukiko said, "what exactly does Yosuke call you for anyway? It's not just to set up dates is it?" Chie looked flabbergasted, blushing a little. "What makes you think I was talking about Yosuke?" Yukiko giggled and said, "Well, he is your boyfriend now, right?" Chie sighed. If she was going to tell anyone, it might as well be Yukiko. "Truth is," Chie said, "Yosuke calls me once a week for phone sex. It's something we agreed upon shortly after we started dating when he did it once just for a joke. Guy's a real pervert, but damn does he know how to make a girl feel good." Yukiko smiled nervously. _'Chie may be a tomboy,'_ she thought, _'But she still can come off as feminine.'_

* * *

The next day saw Kanji fixing his hair in the men's room at school, whistling all the while. He didn't know why he was doing it. After all, it's not like that boy from yesterday asked him on a date or anything. As far as he could tell he didn't even like boys, not in a gay way at least. But, it was the first time anyone had really approached him showing any sort of interest. And now that Kanji thought about it, when he got a good look at Naoto it looked like he had a girl's face. "Why am I even thinking about this?," he whispered to himself, "What the hell is wrong with me?" Hearing the end of school bell, Kanji decided to head out. Little did he know Yu and his friends were hiding just inside the school gates.

"Here he comes," Chie said when she saw Naoto. Kanji had barely been standing outside the gate for a second when Naoto showed up. "Sorry if I'm late. Have you been waiting long?" "Nah," Kanji answered, "I just got here myself." Naoto nodded. "Well then, shall we go?" The two walked off side by side. "I guess this would be the point when we split into teams," Yosuke said, "Me and Chie will tail those two, while Narukami and Yukiko will wait by the textile shop. Light will wait on the shopping district. If anyone sees anything suspicious, call him first." The gang nodded and headed off. _'So then Naoto,'_ Light thought as he headed for his post, _'What interest might you have in Kanji? Do you, as we do, suspect he's the next victim? Or do you think he is somehow involved? Either way, I doubt you will get much from Kanji about the case itself.'_

* * *

Yu and Yukiko stood just inside the shrine observing the front of the textile shop. Yukiko looked nervous. _'I can't believe I'm all alone with Yu. This is really the first time we've really been alone.'_ Yu saw how nervous Yukiko looked and said, "I sure the killer won't show up here." "Oh I know," Yukiko replied, a little flustered, "They'll likely go after Kanji directly. But still, if the killer decides to wait here for Kanji to return..." "Don't worry," Yu said, "If it comes to that, I'll protect you." Hearing that, Yukiko just stared into Yu's eyes. It took her a second to realize she was blushing. Yu noticed and said, "What's up?" Yukiko turned even redder. "It's just, this is the first real time I've been alone with a boy my own age..." For a second they both stood in awkward silence.

"I wonder how Chie and Yosuke are doing?," Yukiko said, looking away from Yu for second, "I'll try calling them." However, when Yukiko tried Chie's cell phone, all she got was a busy signal. "She's using it? What for? No good, and I don't know Yosuke's number. I only got Light's number yesterday." "In that case," Yu said, "We may as well exchange numbers right now. We can get Yosuke's number when we meet up with him again later." Yukiko nodded, smiling a little. She realized it was probably just for the investigation, but she couldn't help but wonder if Yu might not use it for something else. _'He's been noticing me more and more ever since he and the others saved me. Could he really...'_ Suddenly they heard Yosuke scream out, "We brought trouble!" Chie followed shortly after screaming, "Yukiko, I'm sorry!"

* * *

About a half-hour earlier, Yosuke and Chie had been observing Kanji and Naoto. The two were just walking so far. "I doubt the killer will try anything with someone else around," Chie said, "Why do we have to keep watch like this?" Yosuke glanced at her. "He may still hang around waiting for an opportunity when Kanji is alone. We can't let our guard down." Naoto suddenly turned to Kanji. "So, shall I cut to the chase? I'd like to ask you some questions, if I may." Kanji had already flinched, blushing a little. "Okay," Chie said, "This is getting pretty weird. Kanji does realize Naoto may not think like that right?" Suddenly her stomach started growling. "I'm getting hungry." "You could always order take-out," Yosuke suggested.

"Uh," Chie said, "You do realize we're outdoors right." Yosuke nodded. "Yeah, but Aika says that Aiya's will deliver anywhere, anytime." Chie's eyes lit right up and she dialed the number for Aiya's. "Hi there, I'd like to place an order. Two bowls of nikudon please." "I'm not even hungry," Yosuke said. Chie chuckled. "These are actually both for me." She spoke into the phone. "Yeah, I'm at the corner of-" But at that point, Kanji suddenly appeared right in front of them. "Hey," he said, "What are you two doing here?" Yosuke freaked out. "Nothing to see here, just your everyday couple out for a little stroll." Chie nodded furiously in agreement.

Kanji put his hand to his chin and said, "Didn't I see you two yesterday with three others?" Chie panicked. "Ohweweren'ttryingtofollowyouoranything nordoIthinkyoumightbegayandi fyouarethat'stotallyfineIthinkthat'sgreat!" Kanji looked dumbfounded for a second, but then realized something. "Did you say gay?" Kanji started to boil over with anger. "Chie you idiot," Yosuke said, "You gotta learn to control your mouth better. Uh-oh... Run!" The two of them ran off, and after a second Kanji followed in hot pursuit. "Damn it, it's not like that! Get back here you jerks!" Chie and Yosuke kept running until they passed the shrine. Seeing Yu and Yukiko, Yosuke called out, "We brought trouble!" Chie also screamed, "Yukiko, I'm sorry!"

"He's chasing them," Yukiko realized. Yu looked over to Kanji, who was running full speed after Yosuke and Chie, and pulled Yukiko out of sight. Getting so close to Yu made Yukiko blush even harder and her heart started racing. _'This is a little embarrassing,'_ she thought, _'But it's better than getting chased down the street at least.'_ Meanwhile, Kanji was still trying to run down Chie and Yosuke when a girl on a moped started driving up behind him. He noticed the moped had a heating implement on it's back, and he could distinctly smell nikudon coming out of it. "What the hell is that doing here?," he wondered aloud.

"Wait," Yosuke said, noticing the moped as is drove alongside him and Chie, "Is that Aika?" "I've got your order," Aika said, "Two bowls of nikudon." Driving with the skills of a professional stunt driver, Aika made her way over to Chie to give her her order. "How did you even find us?," Yosuke asked, "We're nowhere near where we before, and Chie never said where we were to begin with." Aika ignored him. "That'll be sixteen-hundred yen. When you're done just leave the bowls." Chie paid Aika mid-run and took the tray with the two bowls. "This is just weird," Yosuke said. Chie smiled. "Let's hurry and lose Kanji, I'm getting hungry."

* * *

Light was standing outside Aiya's, waiting for one of the others to report in. Earlier Aika, a girl who worked at the restaurant with her family, had taken the moped they used for delivery and driven off. Soon enough, he saw Kanji come walking down the street alone. _'I wonder if Naoto got anything out of him,'_ Light thought, _'From the look of him, he's been running for a while. Now that I think of it, I saw him chasing Chie and Yosuke not half a minute ago.'_ Kanji saw Light as he was walking. "Hey I know you," he said, "You were at my ma's yesterday with those other guys." Light nodded. "Sorry for all the cloak and dagger stuff, but it's part of our investigation into the the Inaba murders. And no, you're not a suspect. But I have reason to believe you may be the killer's next target." Kanji seemed confused for a second, but nodded.

* * *

Inside Aiya's, Light and Kanji were talking. "Yeah, I saw the Midnight Channel," Kanji said, "I first checked it out a few weeks ago. There was some girl wearing a princess gown or something. She looked like someone from my school, so I thought I might look for her the next day. But when I heard a bunch of other kids had seen the same thing, I thought it might have been a hoax. So the next chance I got, I decided to try again. Imagine my surprise when I saw myself on the TV." Light nodded. "Contrary to what others think, I don't believe the Midnight Channel shows a person's soul mate. Rather, I believe it's a warning of sorts of who is next to die." "Man, that's messed up," Kanji said.

Light decided to ask Kanji, "So, what was Naoto asking you about?" Kanji flinched a little. "He was just... Ssking me about the murders is all..." He sighed. "I think there may be something wrong with me." "I doubt that," Light said, "Granted Naoto's sudden interest in you may have left you confused, but is it really because you happen to gay? Somehow you don't come off as such." Kanji smiled. "Maybe you're right. Truth be told, Naoto was the first person to even approach me casually, let alone talk to me. You know my family runs the local textile shop right?" Light nodded.

"Growing up in that environment," Kanji continued, "I took an interest in sewing. Seems strange, a guy like me being interested in sewing. Lots of guys thought it was weird. More than a few girls too. Everyone outside my family seemed to ignore me. I decided to get myself noticed any way I could. I was already naturally muscular, so I just adopted this grunge look to stand out." "And then real punks started giving you grief," Light finished. Kanji nodded. "Most just slung words around trying to act tough. That wasn't the problem, I've dealt with words before. But whenever I saw someone bullying a weaker person, I couldn't help myself. I had to get involved. At first people were grateful. But then a couple of the punks I beat on spread rumors that I was the bully, hoping to scare me off."

"Sounds like they wanted to get rid of what they thought was the biggest problem," Light said, "How come you never say anything? I know it seems like a good idea to just let people think what they want. But given how many times your actions have gotten you in trouble with the police, it might be a good idea to explain your actions. For every person who thinks you're just a punk, I'd estimate there are at least one or two more who almost see you as a hero." Kanji grinned. "Maybe I should." He got up. "And don't worry about that killer. There's no way he's gonna get the drop on me. Heck, the next time you see me, I may be handing him over to police." Light laughed. "That would make my job easier."

* * *

Light called Yosuke that night and informed him of his conversation with Kanji. 'Sounds like Kanji can take care of himself,' Yosuke said, 'We're not even a hundred percent sure it even is Kanji. There's no way the killer would try to tangle with someone like him.' "Maybe," Light said, "But Kanji himself said it may have been him on the TV. It's raining tonight, so let's check the Midnight Channel just to be sure." He hung up and sat on the sofa he had been sleeping on since he came to Inaba. Adachi was still at the station, mired in paperwork. Dojima could be quite the slave driver, but as much as Light felt sorry for Adachi it was quite convenient to maintain secrecy. As the TV came on at exactly midnight, a rather flamboyant voice was heard saying, _"He-ll-o there everyone."_ Light gasped. It was Kanji's voice.

**Next time: **Kanji has been thrown into the TV world, his confusion about his sexuality manifesting into a dangerous shadow. The gang wants to help, but Teddie's senses seem to have been dulled by recent thoughts about his own identity. With time running out, the gang needs to find something that can help pinpoint Kanji's location...

**Next chapter: Justice**

**I think I may have finally justified the M-rating I gave this story. Send me reviews.**


	9. Chapter 9: Justice

**Been a while since I decided to update, so I'd better get started.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or Death Note (gets boring I know, but I'm afraid my chapters will get taken down otherwise).**

**Last time: **After finding out a local delinquent named Kanji Tatsumi may be the next victim, the gang formulates a new theory in light of this new development. Meanwhile, Light encounters a young man named Naoto Shirogane. Naoto is a talented detective with skills just under Light's who has been hired by the police as extra insurance. Light however, is unsure if Naoto is really what he appears to be. The gang goes to tail Kanji in hopes of finding the killers identity, and a couple misadventures ensue as a result, most of them stemming from Kanji's apparent shyness around Naoto. Light learns a little about Kanji's past, and gets the shock of his life the very next night when Kanji shows up on a Midnight Channel program.

Chapter 9: Justice

Light could not believe his eyes. Kanji was standing there at the entrance to what looked like some sort of bathhouse, buck naked except for a towel wrapped sumo-style around his privates. _"He-ll-o there everyone! My name is Kanji Tatsumi, and I'm here to check out all of the steamy goings on at this bathhouse. My own innocence is on the line here, but that just gives me even more chills thinking about it."_ The way Kanji, or rather his shadow, shook himself at that statement made Light convulse in disgust. _"As sinfully dangerous as this is,"_ the shadow Kanji said, _"I need to give it my all for journalism. Here I go-o-o-o!"_ And with that, Shadow Kanji ran into the bathhouse and the program ended. After a second or two Light's cell phone rang.

"Yagami speaking," Light said. It was Yukiko. 'So I take it you saw that, right?' Light shuddered. "I really wish I hadn't. I even regret taping it." 'You do realize what sort of bathhouse Kanji ran into right?,' Yukiko said, 'I believe it's one of those "male-only" bathhouses.' "Of course it is," Light said with a sigh. He said good-bye to Yukiko before hanging up, then thought to himself. _'Since Kanji has more or less made peace with his life, I didn't expect anything so extreme. He's under no delusion that his tough guy image is the real him. But then again, this may have something to do with his confusion over his feelings for Naoto. I would have put them at ease earlier, except I don't know enough about Naoto as "he" is right now.'_ Light decided to get some sleep and check with the gang tomorrow.

* * *

The next day the gang was sitting around their usual table at the Junes food court. Yosuke sipped the drink he had bought and sighed. "We had a good idea about the next victim and he still gets kidnapped." "It seems our killer is either very strong," Light said, "Or else very crafty. We've all seen Kanji. He's not one to go down so easily. I mean, we are talking about the guy who took down a hundred biker gang members on his own. I'm guessing our culprit is using some sort of tactic to render his victims unconscious before throwing them in the TV, perhaps chloroform. I do remember trace amounts being detected when the doctors were examining Yukiko." Yu nodded. "Well, if Kanji is in the TV world, I'm sure Teddie can find him easily."

* * *

Once in the TV world, they saw Teddie looking a little sad. "Anything wrong Teddie?," Yukiko asked out of concern. Teddie turned to look at them. "Oh, hey guys. I've been lost in thought. Ever since we rescued Yukiko, I've been questioning my own existence. I mean, you guys can go back and forth between my world and yours easily. In fact, you almost need to. This world wasn't made for humans, it was made for shadows. But I live here, and I'm not like other shadows. So I've begun wondering if there isn't something special about me." Light smiled. "Questioning one's own existence is a sign you have self-awareness Teddie. You shouldn't be worried about it. Maybe deep down, for all your emptiness, you're just like us." "Thanks Light," Teddie said with a half-smile, "I take it you guys came here to find someone? A new person appeared just last night. I tried sniffing them out, but for some reason I can't pick them up effectively. I only know there's a human in here besides you guys."

"It must be because of all the thinking Teddie been doing," Yosuke suggested, "Now there's a little more going on in his head, and it's messing with his focus." Chie looked a little worried. "We can't afford to go searching all over the TV world for Kanji. With so many dangers in here it's too risky. Not to mention we could get lost and not be able to save Kanji in time." "If you can help me understand this Kanji guy a little better, I might be able to pick up his scent easier," Teddie suggested. Yosuke nodded. "That's a good idea. We can start with his mom. She's bound to know a lot about him."

* * *

Just outside the textile shop, the gang spotted a young boy stepping out. Yu noticed him holding a tiny pink stuffed bunny. "Hey I've seen that before," he said, "Hey kid, did you happen to get that from Kanji?" "Yep," the kid said, nodding. Light looked surprised. "What made you assume that?" "As it happens," Yu said, "I ran into Kanji before we first saw him on the Midnight Channel. He had dropped a bunny that looked just like this." The kid smiled. "So you guys know Kanji? He's a really nice guy. See, I had lost another bunny that my friend had while I was playing near the river. He saw me crying and asked me what the bunny looked like. Then he offered to make me one that looked almost like it to give to my friend and apologize." "Makes sense," Chie said, "Since Kanji knows a lot about sewing, all he'd need are the materials and a general idea about the appearance of whatever he's making."

"I think this may help find Kanji," Yu said, "Is it all right if we borrow it?" The kid nodded and handed over the bunny. "When you see Kanji, tell him I wanted to thank him." Yu nodded, and he and the others headed back over to Junes. As they got to the elevator to the electronic department, they ran into Naoto. "Well now," he said as they approached, "What, pray tell, would you all be doing here?" "Chie here wanted to get herself a new CD player," Light said. Naoto seemed skeptical, but decided not to question it. "Say Naoto," Yosuke said, "Don't take this the wrong way, but we happened to notice you the other day with Kanji."

"Ah yes," Naoto said, "I thought he might have a connection to the case." Light raised an eyebrow. "As a suspect or victim?" Naoto just shrugged. "Yeah, I thought you might not tell us," Light said with a smirk, "But perhaps you could at least give us your thoughts on Kanji." Naoto thought for a second. "Now that I think about, during the time I was questioning him he acted a little strange." "Huh," Chie said, "Maybe that's cause he thought that-" Yosuke quickly put a hand over Chie's mouth before he she could say any more. "As it happens," Naoto said, ignoring the two of them, "Kanji was recently reported missing. I don't suppose you know anything about that, do you?" Light just shrugged, causing Naoto to chuckle a little. "I guess we won't be comparing notes then. Very well." And with that, he walked off.

* * *

Back in the TV world, Yu gave the bunny to Teddie. He sniffed it for a bit, then started sniffing the air. "Almost reminds me of a bloodhound," Yosuke said. Teddie suddenly opened his eyes. "Got him," Teddie said, "Follow me." Sure enough, Teddie led them right to the bathhouse that Kanji had run into in the program. The steam was so thick it almost rendered the glasses useless. "This looks like the place all right," Yosuke said, almost convulsing at the thought of it. He turned to the others. "Do we really need to go in there? I mean, we could always have just Yukiko and Chie go inside. It's not like they'd be in any real danger." Light and Yu sighed. "As reluctant I am," Yu admitted, "there is safety in numbers. Chie and Yukiko may not be able to handle things on their own." Yukiko frowned. "Steam's so thick here it's too hard to tell whether or not there's still fog. We'd better move fast."

* * *

Kanji woke up in the midst of a very steamy room. "Where the hell am I? Last thing I remember is someone ringing the doorbell. I answered, but no one was there. I turn around for five seconds, then..." He realized he couldn't remember anything past that. He looked around to get a better view of his surroundings. It was hard to tell, but he was fairly certain he was in some sort of bathhouse. "How the hell did I get here?" _'Wait,'_ he thought to himself, _'Could I have been kidnapped without even realizing it? So, what, the killer just dumps his victims in some random building, tapes them while they try to escape, and watches as they fall into some death trap he set up ahead of time? Or maybe...' _Just then he heard someone laughing in a sinister manner. The person laughing... Sounded just like him. "So that's how it is, is it?," Kanji said, "A trick to make me face my own self. Very well, I'm game. Let's see just what the killer thinks of me." And with that, he ran in the direction of the laugh.

* * *

"I'm really not liking the usual cacophony of voices in this place," Yosuke said. "Never took you for a homophobe," Light joked, "We only need to be in here long enough to find Kanji and get him out of here." Yosuke groaned. "I just know being here is going to scar me for life. I mean, this is supposed to be a male-only bathhouse. I get that this is just a manifestation of Kanji's sexual confusion, but still. We all saw how his shadow acts, who knows what kind of crazy shadows that thing's going to attract to this place." "Whenever you two are done with your heart-to-heart," Yu said, "I think we found the door to the shadow guardian." They had come to call certain larger shadows, like the Avenger Knight from Yukiko's castle, guardian shadows as they tended to prevent the gang from getting to the shadow of the person they were trying to save that day.

Chie peeked behind the curtain in the next room and said, "I found our renegade shadow." Inside the room, Shadow Kanji was posing like a bodybuilder in a contest. "_**'He-ll-o there folks. My name is Kanji.'**_" He winked in a manner that sent uncomfortable chills down Yosuke's spine. "_**'Looks like a few new faces have appeared here,'**_" Shadow Kanji said. He turned to Chie and Yukiko. "_**'Some less welcome than others.'**_" "It's not like we're here for pleasure!," Chie said, looking absolutely flustered. Shadow Kanji smirked as he shrugged his shoulders. "_**'Well regardless, all new members must go through the usual initiation. Come forth, Daring Gigas!'**_" From the ceiling dropped a giant muscular humanoid, completely black except for its boots, wrestling trunk, wristband, and Hogan-style haircut and mustache.

"Wow," Light said, "I wonder what sort of person this shadow came from?" The gang quickly brought out there Personae. Yukiko had taken to using a steel fan, and conjured her Persona with a quick horizontal swipe. The Daring Gigas brought both its hands down on the group, who scattered to avoid the attack. Rushing to its side, Light gave a quick thrust into the Daring Gigas' side. Yu did the same thing with his katana on the other side. Yukiko threw her fan at the Daring Gigas' head. "Maragi!" Konohana Sakuya used her magic to light the fan on fire. The Daring Gigas quickly spun around, throwing Light and Yu in different directions in the process, then quickly ducked beneath Yukiko's attack. It then tried to slam its fist into Yukiko's body.

"Rakukaja!," Yu called out. Izanagi dug his sword into the ground, generating a defensive aura around Yukiko and the others. Yukiko was barely able to catch the Daring Gigas' fist in time and push it back, causing the Gigas to lose its balance and fall backward. Yosuke leapt over the Gigas and yelled out, "Bash!" Jiraiya brought his own fists into the air and slammed them into the Gigas' vulnerable belly. Light got up, shook his head a little to clear it, then called out, "Hama!" Yoshitsune turned up the brightness on his beam blade, searing the Gigas before utterly destroying it. "I guess professional wrestling really is fake," Light said with a laugh. The others laughed with him, especially Yukiko. "No time to let our guards down," Teddie chimed in, "If this is how powerful the guardian shadow was, then the shadow itself will be very strong indeed." The gang nodded and headed off to find Kanji.

* * *

Kanji continued to walk through the various hallways of the bathhouse. He tried keeping a mental map of where he had been, but the hallways all looked alike making it much like a maze of sorts. Everywhere he walked he could hear giggling coming from the various baths, making him not want to even try going in. He only risked opening a door if he couldn't hear anyone on the other side of it. "Whoever built this place must have no sense of design," he said to himself, "Every hall either dead-ends or turns back on itself." "_**'Well beggars can't be choosers,'**_" came a voice that sounded like him, yet not like him. "So here you are!," Kanji yelled out, "Why not come out where I can see you?" Out from the shadows stepped someone who looked just like him, only wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. His eyes held a strange yellow tint to them. "Tch," Kanji said, "Don't know how they found someone who looks like me, but I ain't about to lose to my own self!" And with that, he rushed at the shadow.

* * *

Yu, Light, Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, and Teddie all heard Kanji's yell and ran to where he was. By the time they reached him, he had already pinned his shadow to the ground. "_**'Ease up there big boy, you're too rough,'**_" the shadow complained. "Shut up before I slug ya!," Kanji threatened. He then noticed the others behind. "Hey, when did you guys get here? More importantly how did you get here?" Yosuke rubbed the back of his head. "That's a bit complicated. We actually came here trying to save you, but it looks like you may have things well in hand." At that moment, Shadow Kanji took advantage of Kanji's momentary distraction to push him off and get up. "_**'Sorry, but I can't have any interference.'**_" And with that he ran off. "Get back here you punk!," Kanji yelled, running after him. The others tried to follow, but the water in the nearby baths started overflowing.

"Hah," Chie laughed, "What, does he think a little water is gonna slow us down?" She tried crossing it, but slipped and fell. As she did, she grabbed Yukiko's arm and brought her down with her. Soon the two of them were completely soaked. "Ew," Yukiko said in disgust, "What is this stuff? It's all slimy." Light cautiously dipped a finger into the water and rubbed it against his thumb. "It's okay," he said, "It's just bath lotion." Chie groaned. "You think that makes me feel any better? How are we supposed to cross this?" Yosuke nodded. "I got this. Garu!" The sudden wind gust from Jiraiya acted much like blow-drier, clearing away the water and drying off the girls. "That's better," Chie said, "Now let's hurry after them."

"Luckily they haven't gone far," Teddie said, "They're just in the next room." Heading inside, they saw Kanji staring down his shadow. "_**'So you made it this far,'**_" the shadow said, "_**'Too bad it's all for nothing. I mean, what makes you think Kanji wants to be rescued?'**_" "And what makes you think you know what I want and don't want?," Kanji retorted. The shadow smirked, as if Kanji had just fallen for a devious trap. "_**'Because I am you, sweetie. The whole ordeal from earlier. Oh yes, I just can't stand girls. They're so scary and avoid me at every turn. I much prefer the company of men. So much more enjoyable.'**_" _'Oh boy,'_ Light thought, _'I think that shadow pushed the wrong button.'_ Kanji balled his fist. "Are you calling me gay too? My own shadow?" That statement made the others so surprised, they couldn't even try to stop Kanji's next sentence. "You don't know anything about me! YOU'RE NOTHING LIKE ME!"

The shadow laughed as it became engulfed in darkness, cackling, "_**'Oh yes! This is it baby!'**_" _'What's going on?,' _Light thought, _'Kanji didn't reject his shadow per se, just said it was nothing like him. It should still be trying to get him to reject it. Is it so powerful it doesn't even need his rejection?'_ Light got his answer a second later when the shadow's berserk form appeared. From the waist up it appeared the same, but below that was a whole second body. The shadow's torso was surrounded by red and white roses, and the second body was built like a bodybuilder, completely black. It carried two Mars symbols in its arms, which were also used as male symbols. Most unusual of all, two more shadows were standing next to it. They looked the same, with massive muscular bodies and simple masks covering their faces. But one was colored lighter than the other.

"_**'I am a shadow! The true self!,'**_" the shadow proclaimed, and proceeded to slam the Mars symbols into the ground, causing lightning to shoot along the floor. Light quickly called out, "Makarakarn!" Yoshitsune brought out his beam shield to protect the others. "_**'Tougher than you look I see. Tough Guy, Nice Guy, deal with them.'**_" "Teddie what are those other two?," Yu asked. Teddie observed them for a second. "I think they may be connected to the Kanji's shadow. Be careful, they look tough." However at that moment Tough Guy, the darker of the two, appeared behind the group. With a wink, it grabbed Yu and Yosuke's rears. With a yelp, they both fell over in pain. "Oh no," Teddie said, "That shadow broke their spirits." "I'll fix that," Yukiko said, "Me Patra!" Sakuya radiated a brilliant light over Yu and Yosuke, allowing them to get back up.

"_**'What the...?,'**_" the main shadow said in confusion. Light got an idea. "They seem to be less effective against women. Chie, try attacking." Chie nodded. "Cold shower time! Bufu!" Tomoe spun her staff around stirring up a cold wind, freezing Nice Guy and Tough Guy cold. Nice Guy managed to break out, but Light was ready for him. "Skewer!" Before Nice Guy could react, Yoshitsune had sliced right through him. However, Nice Guy recovered quickly and grabbed Yoshitsune in a massive bear hug. "Oh no you don't," Yu said, "Rakshasa!" Izanagi was replaced by a red oni dressed like a samurai carrying two katanas. Rushing at Nice Guy alongside Rakshasa, Yu brought his own katana to strike Nice Guy while calling out, "Skewer!" Rakshasa used both of his blades to slice downward while Yu sliced upward. The attack caused Nice Guy to let go of Yoshitsune.

"This is getting out of hand," Light said, "We need to focus on the main shadow." At that moment, the whole gang found themselves struck down with another attack from Shadow Kanji. Only Kanji seemed to still be up, albeit on one knee. Yu quickly got up. "Time for something a little more powerful." He thought back to his most recent trip to the Velvet Room, where Margaret had told him about the true power of his Wild Card ability. _"With enough concentration and the right Social Links, you can fuse your Personae into much stronger forms."_ Yu stood up, and closed his eyes in concentration. Feeling the guiding hand of Igor from the Velvet Room, he conjured a summoning circle beneath him. Bringing forth two cards at once, he combined them into one in his hand.

Yu opened his eyes and called out, "Yamato-no-Orochi!" From behind Yu appeared a massive eight-headed serpent. Orochi immediately used two of his heads to contain Nice Guy and Tough Guy, ironically causing them more pleasure than pain. Yu turned his attention to Shadow Kanji. "Take this! Bufudyne!" The remaining six heads launched a combined ice attack that froze Shadow Kanji solid. Kanji looked up in awe. Then he noticed the pink bunny dangling from Yu's belt. "Hey that's..." "You made this didn't you?," Yu asked him. Kanji growled. "So what if I did?!" Yu shook his head. "Nothing. It looks cute is all." He took the bunny off his belt and offered it back to Kanji. Kanji looked surprised, then smiled. Standing up, he took the bunny from Yu's hand. "It never was about guys or girls," Kanji said to his shadow, "I'm just scared shitless of being rejected is all. And so what if I like cute shit! THAT'S JUST THE KINDA GUY I AM!" And with that, he plowed his fist right into the shadow's stomach.

"_**'Ahhhhhhh!,'**_" the shadow screamed as it exploded into a million roses, taking Nice Guy and Tough Guy with it. The others just stood there dumbfounded. "Did Kanji just defeat his own shadow?," Yukiko said in shock. Now back to looking like Kanji, the shadow was whimpering now. "_**'Please someone, just accept me...'**_" "SHUT UP!," Kanji yelled. He frowned. "This wimp is supposed to be inside me? Tch!" He looked his shadow right in the eye. "I knew already, hell I knew from the beginning, that you're me. And I am you." The shadow smiled, nodding. Engulfed in blue light, it turned into a massive black robot adorned with a skull motif carrying a lighting bolt. Turning into a card with a picture of the Emperor, it fell into Kanji's hands. "Take-Mikazuchi. So this is my Persona." Light smiled. "So anyway, I guess we still have a killer to find." "Yeah," Kanji said, "But now you have one more team member to help." He gave Light the thumbs up.

* * *

"So that's all there is to tell," Kanji said the next day. He was explaining what exactly happened before his kidnapping. He was surprised to find out the others were his senpai, or senior classmates. For as big as Kanji was, he was actually a year younger than Light and the others. "What bothers me is what happened afterward," Light said, "It seemed like you had already accepted your shadow even before you encountered it. And you didn't exactly reject it, yet it still went berserk. Something within that world may have interfered, or the shadows may simply be growing stronger in response to our actions within the TV world. Either way, we need to stay on our toes." "So what next?," Kanji asked, "Do we just sit on our asses and wait for a new victim to show up?" Yosuke nodded. "It's not like we can do much else. Until the Midnight Channel shows us a new victim, our hands are tied."

* * *

The fogged rolled in a few days later. With the rain coming in that night, the gang checked the Midnight Channel. Sure enough it was blank. Outside in the shopping district, the mysterious figure looked up and down the street. "My tactics change and still I'm foiled. Maybe Kanji was too tough for my purposes. I need to find a new victim. Someone more vulnerable. Another guy? No, they'll think I'm changing patterns. I need to switch up to a new type of person. I'll keep on eye on the news shows, that should give me ideas. And then..." The figure chuckled. "And then I'll have my little errand boy do his usual work. It was easy fooling him into doing my work for me. If not for this unfortunate interference, my last two victims would be dead. Still, this means my puppet will continue to work without realizing my true intentions." Laughing quietly, the figure headed for home.

**Next time: **Kanji has now become part of the group. With no rain in sight for the next few weeks, the gang is all pumped for the upcoming school camping trip. As fun as it is though, a few misadventures ensue. With Light's help, a couple of disasters are avoided. But an interesting story comes to light when Saki's brother shows up...

**Next chapter: Hermit**

**Don't you just love action sequences? Send me reviews.**


	10. Chapter 10: Hermit

**Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah, don't own Persona 4 or Death Note.**

**Last time: **Learning that Kanji Tatsumi was now in the TV world, Yu, Light, and the rest of the gang prepare to go in and rescue him. However, Teddie has not been himself lately and cannot properly track Kanji without further knowledge of him. Finding out from a young boy how Kanji helped him, Yu borrows a little pink bunny from the boy to use in tracking Kanji. Inside the TV world, Kanji finds himself inside a strange bathhouse and decides to confront his shadow personally. The gang shows up, and despite Kanji not outright rejecting his shadow it goes berserk anyway. It's not until Yu unleashes a new ability that lets him fuse Personae together that they are able to bring Shadow Kanji down. With Kanji now in possession of his own Persona, Take-Mikazuchi, he is now ready to join the team in finding the mysterious killer.

Chapter 10: Hermit

"You're really gonna join Yasogami High for the school camping trip?," Adachi asked Light. Every year Yasogami High School did a camping trip in the mountains. Light did not technically go to Yasogami High, but had decided to join nonetheless because it would mean additional credits on his record. That, and he could continue to hang out with his friends. Friends. That was something he never considered having before his dream. Before then human interaction, while a necessity for day-to-day living, was little more than a means to get things done that one couldn't do on their own, after which that other person was useless. But once Light got to know these people, really got to know them, he realized that people could more than tools. He smiled to himself. _'If I keep this up, I may have a real girlfriend by the end of the year.'_

* * *

The next day, everyone was getting ready for their camping trip. "This is gonna be so cool," Chie said, "For the most part it's just us picking up trash from the park. But we get to sleep in tents, go swimming in the river-" Yosuke suddenly perked up. "Did you say swimming?" Chie knew what he was thinking. "Make sure they at least look cute." Yosuke nodded, and rushed off to the ladies clothing section. "What's on his mind?," Yu wondered aloud. Light grinned nervously. "I think I have a good idea. Anyway, what are we gonna do for meals?" "We're supposed to make our own meals," Yukiko said, "So we should make sure we have enough for the whole trip." Light thought for a second. "I think curry would be nice. It's been a while since I've tried it."

"That sounds great," Chie said, "Me and Yukiko will handle the food detail." Getting a strong sense of foreboding, Light insisted on going with them. As they left, Yosuke came back with a shopping bag. "What did you get?," Yu asked him. Yosuke grinned. "It's a surprise. But trust me, you'll like it. Anyway, what are Light and the girls doing?" Yu nodded toward them. "They said they were going to handle the food." All right," Yosuke said, "I'll bet with Yukiko helping, our meals will be high quality." Yu sighed. "If they are, it may be more because of Light than Yukiko. There is a reason why he wanted to help." Yosuke laughed a little, then thought to himself, _'Wait, can Yukiko even cook?'_

"Maybe a little fish for extra flavor," Yukiko said. She, Chie, and Light were in the grocery department trying to find the right ingredients for curry. Light sighed. For someone whose family owned a respectable inn, Yukiko seemed to know very little about cooking. "Fish is no good for curry," he said, "Unless you're planning on making it smell. You use either beef or chicken." Chie couldn't help but be impressed. "How do you know so much about cooking?" Light chuckled a little. "Whenever I'd get bored, I'd help my mom prepare dinner. I picked up a lot." "Guess that makes sense," Yukiko said, "I've never even set foot in the kitchen at the inn. Probably should have. Any other tips?" "Just one," Light said, "Always taste what you make before serving. You should never serve something you wouldn't eat yourself." Chie looked thoughtful. "Huh... I always thought it was best to have someone there to taste it to check for mistakes." "That's good too," Light said, "But you get a better idea of the taste if you try some yourself."

* * *

Yu came home later that day. As he closed the door, Nanako ran up to him. "Welcome home Big Bro." Every time Yu heard her say that, it made him feel like he really was Nanako's older brother. Yu sat down at the table and set down the bag he held. "Oh," Nanako said, "You went to Junes! I'm so jealous." Yu nodded and smiled. "Me and the others are getting ready for a school camping trip. I'll be gone for the next two days." Nanako suddenly looked said. "That's okay. I'm alright by myself." She sadly picked up the remote and turned on the TV. _'I should find a way to cheer her up,'_ Yu thought. He took out a rubber band he had in his pocket. Out of Nanako's sight, he stretched it around his fingertips, then over his index and middle knuckles. Holding his hand to Nanako, she looked over and asked, "What's that?" Yu simply opened his hand, and the rubber band appeared to jump from his first two fingers to his last two fingers. "Wow!," Nanako exclaimed in delight, "How did you do that? Do it again!" Yu nodded, smiling.

* * *

The next day, the whole gang was at the park where the camping trip took place. While Morooka, the chaperone for the trip, watched over the students like a drill sergeant, everyone spent the first part of the day picking up trash around the mountain. "What's with all the trash around here?," Light said, "Doesn't this place have trash cans?" "Some people are just inconsiderate," came a familiar voice. Light looked next to him to see Kanji there, bending over to pick up a crumpled up paper. "I'm surprised to see you here," Light said, "Didn't you say this trip was pointless?" Kanji nodded. "Unfortunately, the teachers threatened to hold me back a year if I didn't attend. I guess it's not too bad, but the others students in my class are too quiet. It got boring." Light smiled nervously. "No offense, but I think you may the reason they're so quiet." Kanji blinked for a second, then burst out laughing. "You're probably right."

* * *

Later that day, Yukiko and Chie were cooking up the curry according to Light's instructions. "I still think we could have found ways to spice it up a little," Chie said. Yukiko shrugged. "Sometimes simple is better. Besides, at least this way it actually looks like curry. I'm starting to wonder what it would have looked like if we had tried our method." Chie couldn't help but shudder. "Yeah, maybe listening to Light was a good idea. After all, we wouldn't want to poison the boys." She looked over to where the boys were sitting, laughing at some joke Yosuke had made. "It seems like things have gotten better since Yu and Light showed up in our town," Chie said, "If not for them, who knows what may have happened." Yukiko nodded. "Yeah, Yosuke would probably still be upset over Saki's death. And I certainly wouldn't be here now."

"Oh," Chie said, hearing the pot they were using start to bubble, "Sounds like the curry's ready." She took out a small spoon tasted their finished product. "Mm, not bad. Okay boys, chow time." She and Yukiko filled out five bowls, one for each of them. "Looks great," Yosuke said. As they dug in, a rather large female student sat down on the edge of the table next to them. She had a massive bowl of curry in front of her. "Wait," Chie said, "I thought Hanako was going on a diet?" Hanako turned to them. "This is my diet. Usually my bowls are twice this size." As she picked up the bowl ready to eat, the bench she was sitting on gave underneath her. As Hanako fell, she accidently tossed her curry bowl causing it to fall on Yosuke. He screamed in pain as the hot curry hit his skin. Yu put down his chopsticks. "I'll take him to the medical tent."

* * *

At the medical tent, several of the students were checking the supplies they had. Even though the trip was only supposed to last for two days, the school board thought it best to make sure extra medical supplies were provided. Surprisingly, it was Mr. Morooka who had suggested this, as he knew from his own experiences when he was a student how easy it was to get hurt on these camping trips. They had supplies for every medical emergency, from simple cuts and bruises to food poisoning. Naoki, a rather mousy kid, was on the medical committee, a fact he rather resented. He was only on the committee because his teachers thought it would help him get over the death of his sister. "Hey Naoki," one of the other students said, "We're gonna get some lunch. Can you watch things here?" Naoki nodded. "Sure, I guess."

Sitting down to go over the supply list, he heard someone say, "Excuse me, my friend here needs some burn ointment. We kinda had a bad run-in with a curry bowl." "Sure," Naoki said, "Just give me a second and I'll-" Then he saw who was right in front of him. Yu had Yosuke's arm over his shoulder to better carry him over to the medical tent. "Oh," Naoki said, "It's you." Yosuke looked up and gasped. "Wait a minute. You're Saki's younger brother!" Yu seemed surprised to hear that. Though when he got a good look, he did see a family resemblance. Naoki didn't say anything else, but simply handed Yu the burn ointment. "Just so you know," he finally said to Yosuke, "I never liked you. It's because of your store that our family business is suffering, and that my sister had to go through all the grief she did." He turned to Yu. "You're his friend right? Then I hate you too. This town would be better off without him."

* * *

"Guy sounds like a real jerk," Kanji said. They had found a secluded spot for a replacement lunch. While Yu had taken Yosuke to the medical tent, their unattended curry had been gobbled up by Hanako. So they had decided to order from Aiya's. Aika had once again surprised them, managed to get to the restaurant and back without getting caught by Morooka. Kanji, still bored from his own class, had decided to join them. "He's Saki Konishi's brother right?," Light said, "I'd imagine everyone's been ignoring him to give him time to mourn. Though I doubt he sees it that way. After all, they still don't know who killed her, so why mourn when there's no need for a funeral yet." "I bet he'd cheer up if someone just talked with him about it," Yukiko suggested. And with that, Kanji got up and walked off.

A minute later, there came a cry of, "Hey, what's the big idea?!" Kanji had come back, with Naoki in tow. Naoki was understandably peeved about the situation. "Here he is," Kanji said, "You need to ask any questions, go ahead." "Uh...," Yosuke said, feeling a little awkward. Light just nervously ate his soba noodles. Finally Yu spoke up. "Have the other students been ignoring you?" This elicited awkward glances from the others. "I guess subtlety is not your strong point," Yosuke said, smiling weakly. Naoki, however, seemed relieved. "You're the first person to ask me that." At Yu's request, he sat down with the others. Light, deciding to be polite, offered him one of their extra ramen bowls.

"Me and my sister had been close for years," Naoki said, "But one day she left with a college student, thinking she could be set for life. Next thing I know, she comes back desperate for money. For reasons I still don't understand, she went to Junes for a part time job." "Guess she got dumped or something," Kanji said, "But why did she want so much money in the first place?" Naoki sighed. "Truth is, our family's business was doing bad long before Junes even showed up. My Grandpa always cut corners, so our products never had the best quality. By the time my Dad took over, we were starting to wonder if we would ever recover. Dad said he had a good plan to get business to pick up again." Light closed his eyes. "And then Junes opened its doors."

Naoki nodded and said, "Of course Dad was still hopeful at first. Said that their store's quality could never be as good as a family owned business. Boy was he wrong. We started losing money fast. Sis wanted to help, but wasn't old enough to work at the liquor store. When that college student arrived, she though he was her ticket to saving her family. Too bad it didn't work out. He probably found out about her money needs but mistakenly thought her reasons were selfish." "But of course she still needed money," Yosuke said, "And since she couldn't work at her family's store, she got a part-time job at Junes. But the downside was everyone, even her own parents, thought she was betraying her family." Naoki nodded.

"So she started resenting everyone around her," Light said, "And to top it off, she winds up finding someone dead. Next thing you know, the media is hounding her at every turn. And just when things can't get any worse for her, she gets killed herself." "I've been lying to myself this whole time," Naoki said, "Kept blaming Yosuke and his family for my sister's problems. When in reality, it was my own family that caused this. Anyway after that day, everyone insisted I start showing more emotion about my sister's death. Really, I just want to get over all that. I can mourn all I want once I know who killed her, but right now I'm trying to get my family back together. Mom and Dad haven't even been doing anything, and it feels like they aren't even remembering Saki. Rather than remember all the good times, the only thing that sticks out in their minds is her 'betrayal'."

Yu closed his eyes in thought, then opened them and thought, "I suppose it's too difficult to talk with them, as anything you say would only condemn you in their eyes. But if you find something else to make them remember the good times you shared, you could get them to stop wallowing in self-pity. Right now the best thing your family needs is to stay together, but if this keeps up it'll only tear itself apart." Naoki smiled and nodded. "You're right. I don't know what I can do, but just sitting around waiting isn't gonna help. I'll find something, I know it. Thanks." He got up. "About what I said before. I'm sorry. I can't go through life hating people I don't even know." He thanked the gang for the food and walked off. "Well," Chie finally said, "I bet it felt good to get all that off his chest."

* * *

That night found things a little awkward for Yu and Yosuke. Somehow, Kanji had wound up sleeping in the same tent as them. As per regulations, boys and girls slept in separate tents. "I'm not exactly feeling comfortable here," Yosuke said. Kanji looked over to him. "What's that supposed to mean?" Yosuke groaned. "Well, I really hate to be like Chie here, but you see..." "Do you really swing that way?," Yu practically blurted. "WHAT?," Kanji said in understandable shock. He got up. "After all this, you guys still suspect me?" Yosuke got up too. "It just seems more suspicious when you act like that." Yu followed suit. "It's kinda awkward to be around you at night." Kanji growled and then yelled out, "FINE THEN! IF THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL, I'LL JUST RUN OVER TO THE GIRLS TENT RIGHT NOW AND PROVE I'M A MAN!"

* * *

Light awoke to the sound of someone grumbling and stomping. His dream was still haunting his nights, though it had been less severe as of late. Now it focused less on his killings and more on his confrontations with L. Light peeked his head out of the tent he shared with Morooka. Morooka himself had taken the opportunity to go drinking, something Light did not approve of. After all, Morooka was a teacher, and he shouldn't be doing something he didn't want his students to do. Light looked around to see Kanji walking towards the girls' tents. _'Oh boy,' _he thought, _'I bet I know where this came from.'_ "Who's there?!," came Chie's voice, "Hi-Ya!" Light winced with the sound of each blow. After seeing Chie and Yukiko carefully walk out of their tent, Light decided to go and retrieve Kanji before anything awkward happened to him.

* * *

"Hey there," Chie said to the boys, both of whom were surprised to see the girls in their tent. "What are you guys doing here?," Yosuke asked, "If King Moron catches you..." Yukiko smiled weakly. "We couldn't sleep, what with Hanako's snoring. And then Kanji came in and... Passed out." She didn't want to say that Chie had instinctively knocked Kanji out the second he poked his head in the tent. Yosuke rubbed the back of his head. "I guess we have enough room if two of us take a side." Chie quickly moved over to Yosuke's side. "I rather you not have an awkward night sleeping next to Yu," she whispered to him. "Fine," Yosuke said, "But what about Yukiko? This seems like it's six of one, half a dozen of the other."

"I can handle it," Yukiko said, though it was easy to see how flustered she was. Later that night, all but Yukiko had managed to fall asleep. Not that she could help it, her heart was racing just being next to Yu. _'Why is it every time we're together, somehow or other I wind up in Yu's arms? Sure, it's not unpleasant or anything, it's just really awkward.'_ She looked at his face. His silver hair seemed to contrast hers rather well. He almost seemed perfect, able to lead their team without problem, and solve the problems of others almost effortlessly. _'Am I even good enough for him? I mean, he's already seen the worst of me. Still, I'd like to think that there is a place for me in his heart. Maybe if I'm patient and work for it, I can find it.'_ Having put her own thoughts to rest, she moved a little closer to Yu and drifted to sleep.

* * *

The next day the six friends were standing on a cliff overlooking a waterfall. The river nearby fed the waterfall which emptied into a rather large pond below. The pond was deep enough to swim, and eventually fed the river for the flood plains back in Inaba. "Looks like a good day to swim," Light said, "I still can't believe there's a pond here large enough for swimming." Just then, Yukiko remembered something. "I completely forgot to pack a swimsuit." "Don't worry," Chie said, "I forgot one too. But luckily I got something better." Yukiko looked at her in confusion. Chie smiled. "A boyfriend whose family owns a store with everything." As if on cue, Yosuke produced a pair of two-piece swimsuits. A green and yellow one for Chie, and a pink and red one for Yukiko.

Chie looked them over and said, "A little more revealing than I would have hoped, but they do look cute." She took the swimsuits and grabbed Yukiko off to change. A little later the boys had changed into their swim trunks. Kanji thought Yu's was particularly stylish. Kanji himself decided not to swim, since that would have brought up unpleasant memories. When the girls came back, Chie was smiling, but Yukiko looked nervous. "Well?," Chie said, winking at Yosuke. "Whoa," Yosuke said, amazed at how gorgeous his girlfriend looked, "You look even better than I hoped." Chie smiled. "You look good too Yukiko," Yu said. Yukiko blushed. "R-Really...?"

Light looked over to Kanji and said, "Excuse me." He went to his bag and pulled out a napkin. Kanji, it seemed, had a nosebleed. Yukiko noticed. "Kanji! That's just wrong!" "Maybe," Light said, "But at least he didn't get it until you two showed up." Yosuke thought about that and said, "Well that puts my fears to rest." In spite of her anger, Yukiko couldn't help but laugh. As Kanji shoved the napkin up his nose to stop the bleeding, he couldn't help but hear the sound of someone throwing up. "Who is that?" The others listened. "It sounds like King Moron," Yosuke said. Light realized something. "Come to think about it, Morooka was drinking heavily last night. I'd imagine he's got a major hangover. Guess this means we won't be swimming, cause guess what he's throwing up in." The others realized what Light was getting at and shivered in disgust.

"Ahhhh!," came the yell. The gang looked into the pond to see Hanako. She had been swimming upriver, probably in an attempt to lose some weight, and was in the pond at the time Morooka had thrown up into the river. There was an unsightly yellow substance floating down the waterfall into the pond, which did not go unnoticed by Hanako, causing her to scream. Looking at each other, the whole gang burst out in laughter. "I wonder if this has anything to do with karma," Chie said, "Hanako can be a bit of a bully to the other girls. Though it's usually limited to taking their food, she has been known to rudely comment on their looks. She's not a very effective bully, however, as she always sees herself as prettier than the other girls." They all laughed again, and returned to camp in high spirits.

* * *

"Thank you everyone, it's great to be here," Rise said to the audience in front of her. Rise Kujikawa, also known as Risette, was finishing her latest performance. As she walked off stage, she was greeted by her old friend Misa Amane. "That was awesome Rise," Misa said, "I really gotta thank you for helping me tonight." Rise nodded. "It was the least I could do, after hearing about what happened to your parents." Though Rise and Misa were good friends, they were as different as the color of their hair. Misa seemed as ditzy as her blonde hair would suggest, while Rise was more down-to-earth like the brunette she was. Rise sighed as she set her mic down. "This may be my last performance for a while," she said to Misa, "I'll be leaving for Inaba soon. And... I'm not sure I want to come back." Misa nodded. She knew Rise's reasons, but was afraid Rise's rival Kanami would take advantage of her absence. _'I hope it all works out for you,'_ she thought as Rise left the theater.

**Next time: **Rise Kujikawa's arrival in Inaba does not go unnoticed by the gang. But things get worrisome when she shows up on the Midnight Channel. A potential suspect emerges, but Light is skeptical about his guilt. He's got more on his mind however, when he becomes aware of his growing feelings for Rise...

**Next chapter: Fortune**

**You're probably wondering about Kanji's nosebleed and Yukiko's reaction to it. It's based on a Japanese urban legend that relates nosebleeds to sexual arousal. Yeah... Anyway send me reviews.**


	11. Chapter 11: Fortune

**You guys were waiting for it, and it starts now. What am I talking about? You'll just have to read and find out...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or Death Note (though if I did, I would probably change a few things about Death Note; Persona 4 not so much).**

**Last time: **The gang was getting ready for their school camping trip. While Yosuke went off to get a special surprise, Light gave Chie and Yukiko pointers on proper cooking. While at the camp, the gang runs into Naoki Konishi, Saki's younger brother. At first he blames Yosuke for everything that's happened to his family, But after talking with the gang, he practically spills his life story and feels better for it. Later Kanji sneaks into the girl's tent in an effort to prove he's not gay, resulting in Yukiko winding up in Yu's arms yet again. The gang gets more laughs when preparing for a swim after seeing the overweight Hanako Ohtani find herself in a river that Morooka had just thrown up in. Meanwhile, popular idol Rise Kujikawa is talking to her friend Misa Amane about coming to Inaba, possibly forever.

Chapter 11: Fortune

"_Things seem to be spiraling downhill for popular idols these days. First off, there's the murder of Keiji and Rei Amane. Their daughter, the famous model Misa Amane, or Misa-Misa as her fans call her, has been in serious depression since that day. Many wonder if this will mean trouble for her already established singing career, or the acting career she plans to make in the near future. Additionally, the well-known TV idol Rise Kujikawa, known as Risette by her fans, has dropped out of the acting biz citing health issues. Some critics claim her latest commercial for the diet soda 'Calorie Magic' may be to blame, but her producer insists it's just exhaustion."_

"Wow," Adachi said. He and Light were visiting Dojima and his family that day when the report came. Both Yu and Light looked at each other. Either one of them could be the next victim. But whether it would be Misa or Rise was still up to debate. "So Light," Adachi suddenly said, "Which one would you rather date?" "Well," Light replied, "I don't normally like idols. They always seem so fake. But if I was forced to choose one over the other, I suppose I'd pick Rise." _'If only because I already have a good idea what Misa's like,'_ he added to himself. Yu looked over at Adachi. "Why the sudden interest in dating idols? Aren't both of them a little young for you?" Adachi just chuckled nervously.

* * *

The next day the gang got together to discuss the news report. "The only way either of them would become a victim is if they came to Inaba," Yosuke said, "Having said that, they both have good reasons to come here. Unless Misa is a workaholic." "She is," Light said. The others looked surprised. "How would you know that?," Chie asked. "Misa was one of the people in my dream," Light explained, "She also had a Death Note, and had also made a deal to exchange half of her remaining life span for the eyes of a shinigami. In that way she was actually more powerful than me. You see, shinigami can see a person's name and life span just by looking at their face."

"Oh I get it," Chie said, "Misa was an enemy to you." Light shook his head. "She could have been, but she actually worshiped Kira, the pseudonym I had taken in the dream. She had somehow fallen in love with me after seeing me only once. Now, a guy like me actually has quite a few girls with interests and even crushes on me. And usually I'm more than willing than date them at least once just to see if I would take an interest in them. Sometimes I try a second date, sometimes not. It's all to get a good feel of the girl's personality. Anyone can have a pretty face. Anyway, with Misa she seemed... Kinda stupid. Not like dumb or anything like that, just ditzy. She kept making mistakes that almost got me caught on a number of occasions. When my dream ended with my own death, the last thing I saw was Misa standing atop a building looking like she was ready to jump."

"Whoa," Yosuke said, "That's pretty heavy. Anyway, setting that aside, I don't think we'll be meeting Misa personally anytime soon." Yu looked at him. "Why's that?" Yosuke brought up a gossip article on his phone. "Because she's not coming to Inaba. But Rise is. In fact, word is she's enrolling at Yasogami High in the same year as Kanji." Kanji nodded. "Then I'll probably be seeing her before any of you." "That's not all," Yosuke said, "She's not actually staying at the Amagi Inn, she's staying at her grandmother's tofu shop." "So she has family here," Chie said, "I got a feeling that shop will be getting some new customer's real quick."

* * *

It was raining that night. Light knew tonight the Midnight Channel would come on again. Adachi had the TV on in his room. What he was doing Light dared not think about. At exactly midnight the TV flickered on. It was grainy, so Light knew that no one had been thrown into the TV yet. It appeared to be a girl again. Someone around his age, with wavy pigtails. No way it could be Misa, since her hair was straight. The girl in the TV seemed to be showing off her body. As the picture faded, Light got a call from Kanji. 'Looks like our killer may have gone back to old habits,' he said. "Looks that way," Light replied, "And they seem to be getting younger. I doubt kidnapping you was a mistake, so the killer may be trying to mix things up randomly to fool potential investigators." 'So,' Kanji said, 'Who do you think it is?'

* * *

"It's Rise Kujikawa!," Yosuke said the next day, "I've been checking her magazines for years. And I'd know her body anywhere. Her supple curves, her round breasts, and the gorgeously long legs..." He soon found himself staring at Chie and realized something. "What?," Chie said, confused. Yosuke put a hand to his chin. "I just realized thinking about Rise doesn't get me excited the way it used to." "Maybe your head is filled with someone else now," Yu suggested, pointing at Chie. Chie blushed, but couldn't help but smile. _'If he's thinking about me more than Rise, a TV idol, there may be hope for him yet.'_ "Anyway," Yukiko said, "Since we have a good idea who and where the next victim is, all we have to do is try talking to her and seeing if we can't catch the killer in the act."

* * *

Things seemed to be crowded at the Marukyu Tofu shop. Of course, since a famous idol was supposedly staying there that was hardly surprising. What was surprising was seeing Dojima and Adachi among the crowd. "What are you doing here?," Yu asked. Dojima turned to look at him. "We were clued in that Ms. Kujikawa may be a new potential victim. We decided, if nothing else, some police presence would deter our mystery killer." "Let me guess," Light said, a wry grin on his face, "Naoto was the source of your information." Dojima nodded, and seemed to glare at Kanji. "Relax," Light said, "He's with us. Not only does he have good insight for this case, but a little extra muscle never hurt for emergencies."

"Looks like the crowd's starting to clear,"Adachi said. Judging from the number of disappointed faces, Light figured they hadn't managed to get a glimpse of Rise. Dojima looked around. "I'll scout the area," he said, "Adachi why don't you keep watch outside." Adachi nodded. "Since we're here," Yukiko said, "Why don't we get some tofu?" When the gang went inside, they heard a young girl say, "Hello, and welcome to Marukyu." They all gasped. Standing there in a simple smock with a scarf on her head, was none other than Rise Kujikawa. "How could those other kids miss seeing her if she's working the front counter?," Kanji asked. Rise giggled. "My grandma told me to work in back until the crowd moved on."

"Well that makes sense," Yosuke said, "Oh yeah, has anyone or anything strange been seen around here." "I'm sure you've heard of the recent murders," Yu said, "We're actually investigating them. We think an urban legend called the Midnight Channel may be involved." Rise thought for a second. "Come to think about it, I tried it myself last night." "So you know that you were on it then?," Chie said. Rise shook her head. "That wasn't me. My breasts aren't big as that girl." "Maybe," Yu said, "But the hairstyle is right. Or are you thinking that the Midnight Channel really does show a person their soul mate?" Rise looked shocked. "You mean it doesn't? I was wondering why a girl was shown. But, I'm still not sure it was me though. Then again, I'm pretty average looking. If weren't for my idol status most folks wouldn't even notice me."

_'I can't believe how modest she is,'_ Light thought, _'I always thought of idols as these fake TV personalities who only cared about their looks and money. But Rise, she sees herself as an average girl who just happens to be a celebrity. It's funny. I take two steps outside my comfort zone, and my whole perception of the world around me gets turned on its head.' _Rise saw Light thinking to himself. "What's up?" Light snapped out of his thought process. "Oh, sorry. I was just a little surprised to hear a famous idol belittling herself like that." Rise giggled. "Truth is, I only got into this hoping it would help me make friends." Suddenly, they heard Adachi yelling outside.

"Get down from there," he yelled to someone outside. The gang ran outside to see Adachi trying to wrangle a geeky looking guy clinging to a nearby telephone pole and carrying a camera. Seeing so many people looking at him, the man kicked Adachi away, dropped off the telephone pole, and ran off. "Could that be our killer?," Yukiko asked. "He was taking pictures of the tofu shop," Adachi said, "Whether he's the killer or not, he's breaking the law. We have to get after him." Yu nodded. "Light, you stay here with Rise. Get her to safety. We'll find that man." Light nodded. As he watched the others run off with Adachi, he noticed Rise sidle up to him.

"I'm pretty sure that guy's just some crazed fan," Rise said, "I get those a lot. Oh yeah, I never got your name." Light smiled. "It's Light. Light Yagami." "Light...," Rise said, "Would that happen to be written with the kanji for moon?" Light looked surprised. "Where did you hear that?" "My friend Misa Amane had a strange dream several months ago," Rise explained, "I don't remember all the details. But she remembered she said she said she fell in love with a man named Light Yagami. Thing was, his name was pronounced Light, but written as moon." _'So Misa had the same dream,'_ Light thought, _'Though more from her point of view.'_ Rise giggled. "Gotta say, seeing you in person, I'm kinda jealous you were in her dream." Light laughed a little himself.

* * *

Since Light was supposed to look after Rise until Adachi and the others caught their perp, Light offered Rise some lunch. They were enjoying themselves at the park overlooking the flood plains. Light found it strange how well they were connecting. Rise was definitely not like any other idol he'd seen or heard of. Rise also mentioned that the whole "health issues" reason for her leaving was a lie. "Thing is," she said, "I was getting tired. Not of the idol life, but of the people. I said I got into this business to make friends. But I'm not sure any of the friends I've made since that day, even Misa, sees who I really am. My mom signed me up for this contest she saw thinking it would help get me popular. But when I think about it, popularity can be overrated if all anyone sees is the image they want."

"I hear ya," Light said, "Back at school I'm seen as this perfect student, this excellent combination of brains and looks. Every girl wants to date me, and every guy wants to trade places with me. But as for me, I just want to be me. The only reason I even study as hard as I do is because I want to follow in my father's footsteps. You see my father is Chief Superintendent of the NPA, and since I seem to have inherited his knack for solving crimes I've always felt like it was my destiny to become a detective. Not for the status or the recognition, but because above all else I dislike criminals. I actually started solving crimes from an early age with my father's blessing. But until recently I've always had a black-and-white view of the world. When you really get out there and try to experience the world for yourself, your perception about people, places, and things can change almost overnight."

Rise giggled and said, "If that's the case, then maybe coming here is just what I needed." She looked out toward the river. "Everything is just so peaceful here. Away from the harsh lights and sounds. Don't get me wrong, I love singing. But these days, I feel like everything I do is just to make someone else money. It's no longer just for the enjoyment of the fans. And that whole 'Calorie Magic' commercial. Truth is, I've never been worried about my weight. Since I jog every day to keep my stamina up, I don't have to worry too much about weight gain." She sighed, and Light could tell how fed up with the idol life she was. "It's funny," she said, "I've never told anyone about how I feel. It's like you're the first person to ever lend an ear. You don't act at all like in Misa's dream."

"I hope not," Light said, "Cause if its anything like my dream, I may not have been the best guy to fall in love with. By the way, was Misa's dream first-person or third-person?" "If you mean did it seem like she was seeing events from her perspective or someone else's," Rise said, "I think it was from her point of view." "Then she may not have been aware of how evil I truly was in that dream," Light said. Rise smiled slightly. "You sound like you had the same exact dream." "Not quite," Light said, "Mine was from a different perspective, like I was looking at my life from a different point of view. Did Misa give any real details?" Rise shook her head. "She couldn't remember too much. I think you were the only thing that stuck out in her mind."

"Too bad," Light said, "Because if she only remembers that, she may be heading for disaster. I remember there was a news report yesterday about her parents being murdered. But, it sounds like your life is even rougher than hers." "You think?," Rise said, "I'm not sure if I can picture any scenario worse than your parents dying. But then again, maybe you were deliberately trying to steer the conversation away from Misa." Light chuckled. "Truth is, Misa's not my type. I don't like girls who seem fake. On the other hand, you don't seem fake at all." Rise blushed. The serene atmosphere was interrupted by Light's cell phone going off. He picked it up. "Yagami. You what? You actually caught him. Okay, I'll drop Rise off at her grandma's and come over."

"Looks like our date got cut short," Rise joked, "Too bad. Say Light, could you do me a favor." "What is it?," Light asked. "Tomorrow I start my first day at Yasogami High," Rise explained, "And it's a little harder to avoid attention than in a family-owned store. I was wondering if you could give me a hand." Light thought about it. "I could give it a try, but I don't actually go to Yasogami High. I might stick out worse than you. On the other hand, very few people here know me, so I guess I could slip you in easily." "Thanks," Rise said, and she pecked him on the cheek.

* * *

Light walked into the interrogation room with his hand on his cheek. Chie was the first to notice. "Oh. Did someone get a little kiss from Rise?" Light blushed. "Sort of. We were talking about things while you guys were chasing our suspect. That reminds me, has he already been questioned." Dojima, who was also in the room, nodded. "He claims he was just there hoping to grab some pictures of Rise for his collection. Adachi is still trying to grill him for information, but I have my doubts he's our guy. Sure his actions are suspicious, but at worst he's a stalker." "I don't know," Light said, "Stalking can often lead to something worse. Either way, it may be best to hold him for a few days just in case." As Dojima walked out, Yukiko said, "You seem to be really concerned for Rise's safety." Light nodded. _'Of course that's only natural. Though I can see where they're coming from.'_

* * *

The next day, as promised, Light offered to escort Rise to school. Light had called in some favors from his friends. And not just the gang, but all the friends they had made since the start of the year. For the most part, it was just quelling any potential rumors about Rise coming to school. Things seemed to be going well, until Light noticed a last minute complication. "Uh-oh," Light said, "I forgot to factor in potential press interference." Right in front of the main gates was a swarm of cameramen and reporters, all hoping to get even the smallest glimpse of Rise. "Hope you don't mind being late," Light said to Rise, "Cause it looks like we'll have to ditch until the heat cools off." And with that, he brought her to the town shrine.

"This place seems nice," Rise said, "If a little run down." She frowned. "Guess it's gonna be a while before I can settle into a normal life." "There you are," came a voice from outside. Rise and Light looked to see a business man with red hair step forward. "Oh Inoue," Rise said. Light looked confused. "This is my manager," Rise said, "Why on earth did you follow me here? I've already told you, I'm not going back. So you can just tell those reporters outside the school to leave." Inoue seemed taken aback. "I realize things can be a little stressful, but you need to remember that there are other people with problems-"

"I'm fully aware of Misa's parents being murdered," Rise said, "She told me herself. But she also told me that she's not worried about it, and that the police will find the killer eventually. So if you have nothing else to say, we're done here." Inoue sighed. "There is one more thing. Due to your absence, the studio has decided to replace you in the upcoming movie with Kanami. I'm sorry." And with that he walked off, leaving Rise shocked. She turned to Light. "Not gonna say anything?" Light sighed. "What can I say that won't make you hate me? It's hard to find one thing that won't make you lump me in with everyone else." Rise smirked. "I think you already found one." The two walked back to the school.

"It's like everyone else can't see the real me," Rise said, "They only see Risette, the famous idol. Misa often tells me I should be happy, that I'm living the good life. Sure there are a few bumps in the road but no life is perfect. That's what she says. I hate it. Even being bullied as a kid was better, at least then they knew who I was. They knew the real me. Like you." She looked at Light. "You seem to understand me better than anyone else I've ever known." Light looked at her. She was nothing like Misa, nothing like any other girl he had ever known. Light could feel something in his chest. _'Could I be... Falling in love?'_

* * *

It was raining again that night. Light was awaiting midnight. If nothing happened, they had officially caught the culprit. If not, someone else was the real killer. Adachi was still at the station, trying to get some information out of the would-be stalker. Light thought back to his time with Rise. _'It seems strange. I never thought I could fall in love with anyone. But Rise... She seems so real. Like no other girl I've met. Like she's the complete opposite of Misa. I just hope she doesn't stay so down all the time, it's not healthy.' _At that point, the TV flickered on. Light checked his watch. While he was thinking, midnight had come. On the screen was a vibrant purple curtain. _"Maru-Q!," _came the voice. "Oh no," Light said aloud, "That's Rise's voice!"

**Next time: **Rise has been kidnapped, and Light is more eager than anyone to go and save her. Luckily Teddie is feeling better and can lead the team to Rise effectively. Rise's shadow proves almost invincible, but an even greater threat looms in the wings...

**Next chapter: Strength**

**Well folks, I said it would happen, and it has begun. Now only time, and my imagination, will tell how this budding romance between Light and Rise will develop. And indeed, if it will even last. So... Send those reviews.**


	12. Chapter 12: Strength

**Disclaimer: Persona 4 and Death Note aren't mine.**

**Last time: **The gang gets wind that popular idol Rise Kujikawa is coming to Inaba. Shortly thereafter she winds up on the Midnight Channel, marking her as the next victim. Tracking her to her grandmother's tofu shop, it's not long before a potential suspect shows himself. As most of the gang along with Adachi chase after the stalker, Light is tasked with watching after Rise. Through their talks together, Rise and Light really start to connect. Later Rise gets a shock to find that a rival of hers has replaced her in an upcoming movie. To make things worse, it seems the gang has the wrong suspect, since Rise has just shown up in another Midnight Channel special.

Chapter 12: Strength

On the TV, Rise was wearing nothing but a bright green bikini. She seemed to be acting much like an exotic dancer. _"Maru-Q! This summer one young school girl will evolve into a full fledged idol. I'm Risette, and I'm here to give all my fans a surprise that's sure to get everyone's attention."_ Yu was just staring at the TV. He knew the others were watching this, and wondered what Light in particular would think. _"I'm going to STRIP for you! Oh my... Now that I've said it, I'm so embarrassed. But if something is worth doing, it's going ALL THE WAY!"_ And with that, the program ended. Seconds later, Yu's phone rang. 'Hey,' came Yosuke's voice, 'She just said strip right?!' "Calm down Yosuke," Yu said, "It seems these programs are getting crazier. Maybe you should give Light a call. He may be upset by this."

* * *

Upset may have been an understatement. The gang was just sitting around while Light was slumped over the table with his hands covering his head. Earlier he had told the gang about his sudden feelings for Rise, and now she had been kidnapped. Picking himself up and leaning back in his chair, he sighed deeply. "I don't think I've ever been so frustrated. I was with her all that time, and I never even saw anything suspicious. I feel so useless." "I know how you feel," Yosuke said, "I'm sure it's hit you harder than the rest of us but... We all knew who the victim was this time and we still couldn't do anything." Light smiled. "Thanks Yosuke. Having said that, I did do something that should make finding Rise in the TV world easier." He brought out the laptop he had brought with him.

"What's that for?," Chie asked. "I was concerned that Teddie may still be having issues with his tracking abilities," Light said, "So to save some time I did as much research on Rise as I could find. It wasn't easy sifting through what was real and what was manufactured. I started by developing a psychological profile on Rise, based on my conversations with her from the past two days. From there it became somewhat easier to separate fact from fiction. I don't know how much it'll help, but I also don't know how much time we have before the fog starts rolling in again." Kanji nodded. "Then what are we doing sitting on our asses here? Let's head for the TV world and get going." "Wait," Chie said, "You still need a weapon." Kanji simply got up, folded up the chair he was sitting on, and walked off toward the electronic department.

* * *

"So now we're looking for this Rise girl?," Teddie asked. Light nodded. "It's important we get to her as soon as possible. If you need any help, I've compiled as much information on Rise as I could." He placed his hands on where he assumed were Teddie's shoulders would be. "Please Teddie. We need to save her." Teddie somehow sensed the determination behind Light's words. _'He must really care about this girl. I've gotta do this for my friends. Come on Shadow Senses, don't fail me now.'_ Teddie focused as hard as he could, and was able to pick up something. "Yeah... Yeah I think I've got her. It's faint, but I can still track it." Light sighed in relief. "Thank you." Teddie nodded, smiling. "Alright, follow me."

* * *

Rise awoke to the sound of laughter. As she got up, she took a look around her. _'What is this place? Some sort of club? How did I get here?'_ As she continued walking, the laughter around her got louder and louder. Twisting her head around in panic, she called out, "Who's there?" From the shadows of the club, several copies of her, all dressed in her school uniform, appeared one at a time. Rise gave a surprised gasp. "What's going on here?" "**_'You'll find out soon enough,'_**" came a voice that sounded just like hers, yet not like hers. The other Rises all started chattering at once, each one telling a different part of her life. Rise could barely take it all. _'Someone help me... Please... Light...'_

* * *

"Well I got us here," Teddie said as the gang approached the entrance to the strip club, "But I bear-ly have any strength to guide us through." Light nodded. "That's okay, we may be able to find our way through from here." "I take it your thoughts about yourself are still filling your mind?," Yu asked. Teddie nodded. "Sorry sensei. I've been wracking my brain for answers, but it's like all I can conjure is a blank. I think I may have erased my own memories for some reason. Though why, I have no idea. Up until I met you guys, I never even questioned my own existence. I was happy that way. Don't get me wrong though. I'm still happy to have met all of you. But now that I've actually met people from the outside, it's like I want to know myself better so I can be better friends with all of you."

Light put his hand on Teddie's head and said, "If someone from this world can have thoughts like that, it means you have a soul. To question one's own existence is human nature. Even the simplest people on the planet have thoughts like this. So if nothing else, then hold onto your questions. They may be the only lead you have to finding yourself." Yu nodded. "And don't forget you have us here. If you want to find out who you really are, then we'll be here to help." Teddie smiled. "Thanks sensei, Light, everyone. For the longest time I've been all alone. But ever since you guys came here, it's like my life has real meaning. Oh, but we've spent too much time out here. I'm sure Light is eager to find Rise, so let's go."

"Thanks Teddie," Light said. As the group headed into the strip club to find Rise, they didn't notice the sinister presence behind them. Peering at the gang from within the shadows, it observed them from afar. "**_'Which shall I draw strength from master?,'_**" it asked to an unseen being. It waited for a bit, then received it's answer. "**_'The guide? Yes, I believe drawing strength from him will be much better than their leader. But do you believe it to be necessary? Is not the shadow here invincible?'_**" Another pause. "**_'I understand. I had not realized it's power could have limits. Very well then master. I shall obey.'_**" Shifting into a new form, the second shadow emerged and started to follow the gang from a good distance.

* * *

The gang ran from room to room, searching for the shadow they had to face to ensure Rise's safety. Finally, they found their way into a large chamber with a stripper pole on one side. In the middle of the room stood Shadow Rise. "**_'Well, well. You people are a little early for the show. As much as I'd love to give you all a sneak peek, I'm afraid you'll have to be satisfied with what you see right now.'_**" "We didn't come here for a show," Light snapped, "We came to find our friend Rise. And don't get cute saying you are Rise, we already know how this world works." The shadow pouted. "**_'Party pooper. Fine then, if you really need some early entertainment, perhaps my good friend the Amorous Snake can help.'_**"

From rafters, an giant albino snake came slithering down the stripper pole. It had a red plate on its head, and around its neck was a Venus symbol, also used for a female symbol. "Oh great," Chie said, "I guarantee you that thing is poisonous." "In a second it won't matter," Kanji said. Summoning his card, he grabbed it in his fist to shatter it. "Take-Mikazuchi! Mazio!" Take-Mikazuchi swung his lightning bolt and struck it against the pole, using it as a lightning rod to deal extra damage to the snake. In retaliation, it shot a stream of venom right at Kanji. "Hang in there Kanji," Light said, "Makarakarn!" Yoshitsune stepped in front of Kanji and blocked the venom attack with his beam shield. "Thanks Light," Kanji said, "We need to shut that big mouth of his."

"Allow me," Yukiko said, and her fan was set on fire. "Maragi!" Sakuya waved her wings, causing a stream of flames to engulf the snake. Before it could recover, Yu and Light brought their blades on top the creature, slicing it almost down the middle. "Now that it's been sliced up and fried," Kanji joked, "Time to tenderize it! Kill Rush!" Take-Mikazuchi's arms starting spinning like wind turbines. Pulling back his arm, he then slammed it straight into the giant snake, pulverizing it. "Thank goodness," Chie said, "I really hate snakes." "Her cousin once teased her with a giant rubber snake when she was a kid," Yukiko explained. The others nodded, and they headed out to the next room.

"_'They are strong,'_" the second shadow said to its unseen master, "**_'They could prove a problem. Must I truly wait until they have dealt with the prime shadow here?'_**" It paused for a moment, awaiting its master's response. "**_'So be it. I will wait until they have finished. Perhaps, should they actually win somehow, they will be too weak to defeat me.'_**" Stepping out of the darkness it had been hiding in, the second shadow waited a bit until it looked like the gang was several rooms ahead. It then began following them, using its instincts to keep up with them. It would wait until the prime shadow had weakened them.

* * *

Meanwhile back in the real world, Adachi was completing his case report. By sheer luck, he had managed to capture two professional thieves who had hijacked a plane belonging to a very important company. They were carrying a giant case which had been confiscated and was sitting in the evidence locker. Adachi's curiosity got the better of him and he decided to check it out. As he began undoing the complex lock, he thought to himself, _'Why am I getting a sudden case of deja vu?'_ He got his answer as the case opened. What he saw inside surprised him. "Okay, out of all the things I thought this could be, I never expected this..."

* * *

Continuing to move through the club, Light was the first to hear the sounds of laughter coming from one of the rooms. "That sounds like Rise," he said, "Or several of them." Heading into the room, the gang was surprised to find a whole batch of Rise clones. In the center was the real Rise, still wearing her uniform from the tofu shop. She turned to see the the others behind her. "Light! What are you doing here?" As Rise ran to Light's side, the other Rises started to disappear, all except the Shadow Rise. "_**'I see you all made it in time for the show,'**_" the shadow said while dancing around another stripper pole, "**_'I'm here ready to bare everything. All my little secrets... Because I know the best way to get people to love me. All of me.'_**"

"What do you mean?," Rise said, "Who are you anyway? And why do you look like me?" The shadow smiled. "**_'I am you. And soon, the whole world will know of me, the popular Risette. But then, am I really Risette? Am I really anyone? Or am I just no one, just a face hiding behind fame?'_**" Rise couldn't believe her ears. "No... I..." The shadow laughed. "**_'I just want to know all about me. To know who I am. And to let the world know of me in the process.'_**" "Stop it...," Rise said, close to tears, "You're not... You can't be..." Before anyone could do anything else, Rise screamed, "YOU'RE NOT EVEN ME!" Shadow Rise started laughing harder and harder as its dark aura turned red and engulfed her in darkness.

"What's going on?," Rise said, thoroughly confused. "That's your shadow," Light explained, "A physical manifestation of your darkest thoughts. But now that you've rejected it, it's gone berserk." The shadow's new form was surprising to say the least. It was still humanoid, but multicolored in an almost patch-work way. Instead of a normal head, it had a six-sided satellite dish with pigtails, making for a bizarre appearance. It hung horizontally off the stripper pole, swaying like a flag. "_'I am a shadow! The true self!'_" The antenna on its head started scanning around, as if trying to gather data. "We need to stop that thing before its gets too much information," Light said. Kanji was the first to run in. "I got it!" But the shadow simply knocked him back with a powerful shield.

"**_'Too easy. So straightforward.'_**" "Then try something a little less direct," Yukiko said, "Maragi!" Before Sakuya's flames could reach it, the shadow erected a red wall to protect itself. Chie tried her luck next. "Bufu!" This time the shadow conjured a blue wall to block the ice. "This thing is able to predict our every move," Yu said, "Time to fall back on our go-to finisher." Light nodded. "Hama!" Yoshitsune raised it's beam blade and increased the intensity. "**_'Child's play,'_**" the shadow said as it erected a yellow barrier to block the attack, "**_'Though it makes for an excellent tan.'_**" "No way," Chie said, "That's our best technique." "**_'My turn,'_**" the shadow said, and fired a massive laser from its antenna.

Thinking quickly, Light called out, "Makarakarn!" Yoshitsune put up his beam shield, but the laser was too strong and broke through. "Oh no," Teddie said, "I've got to do something to help them." As the shadow readied another attack, Teddie stood in front of them. The shadow seemed to hestitate. "**_'What is that thing? I can't detect it. What's going on?'_**" With a mighty growl, Teddie charged at the shadow as another laser fired from its antenna. It wasn't as strong as before, and Teddie was even able to redirect the laser back at the shadow. There was a bright flash, and the gang quickly covered their eyes. When the light faded, they saw Teddie was lying on the ground, completely flat.

"Teddie," Yukiko said, "Are you okay?" Teddie got up, feeling as deflated as he looked. "I'm fine, just literally got the wind knocked out of me." They turned to the shadow, who had been turned back into Rise's double. Rise walked over to it as it struggled to get up. "I've always wondered who I really am, ever since I became an idol. I've gone through so many personalities, sometimes I get confused. Maybe the real me doesn't really exist. But I do know one thing." She helped her shadow to her feet. "You're me, and I am you." The shadow smiled and closed its eyes as the blue light engulfed it. It transformed into a large female form in a flowing gown. It seemed to have a complex satellite for a head, and held an unusual object in its hands. Turning into a card with a picture of the Lovers, it fell into Rise's hands.

"Himiko," Rise said. Light smiled at her. "Congratulations, you now have your own Persona." Rise smiled, before gasping and turning her head. "There's something behind us." The gang all turned around, and were shocked. It looked like Teddie, only much bigger, and with the same dark aura and yellow eyes as the other shadows. "A shadow of a shadow?," Yu said, "Is that even possible?" "**_'Any creature that can have thoughts and worries about their own lives may have a shadow,'_**" the Shadow Teddie said, "**_'Even, sometimes, other shadows. Yet your quest for answers will only bring you tears. Why search for the truth, when it would be so much easier to remain in ignorance?'_**"

"Don't go trying to get me to reject you," Teddie said, defiant, "I already know how bad an idea that is." The shadow seemed to smile. "**_'Not all shadows require rejection to achieve power. Any form of negative emotion will do.'_**" As if to prove it, the shadow suddenly became engulfed in the same blood red aura as before. "**_'You may have survived the prime shadow here. But let's see how you fare against an even stronger foe.'_**" As the darkness faded, the shadow's new form appeared. It almost seemed to be half sunk into the floor. It still looked like Teddie, only gigantic and tattered. With a mighty heave of its breath, it blew Teddie to the back of the room. "**_'You have interfered long enough.'_**"

"We need to get rid of this guy," Yosuke said, "But with Teddie out of it, how can we know how to fight." Rise got an idea. "Light, can you help me up? I think my Persona can act as a new guide for us." Light nodded, and took Rise's arm over his shoulder. Rise called forth her card, which shattered from her will alone. "Come forth, Himiko!" Himiko appeared behind Rise and placed the object in her hands over Rise's eyes. It turned out to be a special visor, containing a heads-up display of the battlefield. Rise focused on the shadow in front of them and gasped. "There's something inside that thing," she told Light, "I think its drawing power from another source."

"Then we need to shut it down at the source," Kanji said, "Mazio!" Take-Mikazuchi's lightning attack struck inside the shadow's open eye-socket, stunning it. It then breathed in again. "That won't stop me," Yosuke said, "Sukukaja!" Running faster than he thought possible, the sudden wind gust felt more like a summer breeze. Rushing at the shadow, he threw one of his kunai at the shadow's eye, then struck with his other. Before the shadow could recover, Chie flipped in the air and brought her foot down on the shadow's head. "**_'You continue this pointless fighting. But for what purpose. The answers you seek do not come easy. Why put yourselves through such pain?'_**" "Because what good is an answer if it comes easy?," came Teddie's voice.

He walked up to the shadow and said, "I only started thinking about who I am recently, and it's because I have such good friends who are willing to help. It doesn't matter if the truth only brings pain. Nothing in this world can be that easy." Teddie's new-found resolve started to weaken the shadow, causing it to start falling apart. "Light," Rise said, "I think you can finish it off now." Light nodded. "Hama!" Yoshitsune fired a shot from his beam blade, bathing the shadow in light. The shadow was forced back to its normal state under the searing light. As it got up, Teddie walked over to it. "I don't know what the answers are, but I'll keep searching for them. I have friends who can help me, so I know I'll find who I am soon."

_'He seems so confident,'_ Rise thought, _'Maybe I should look for who I am too.'_ Teddie offered his hand to the shadow, who accepted. "You're me, and I'm you. That's how it goes. I knew that the second I laid eyes on you." The shadow was engulfed in bright blue light, turning into a giant red boiler with arms and legs and a horned head. A yellow cape fluttered from the figures short neck. Fading into a card with a picture of the Star, it landed in Teddie's hands. "Kintoki-Douji," Teddie said. Then he started crying tears of joy. "I don't believe it, I have my own Persona." "Congratulations Teddie," Yosuke said, "Guess this means you're well on your way."

Rise laughed, then asked Light, "So you guys came all the way here just to save me?" Light blushed nervously. "Light was especially eager to save you," Chie said, "You could say for him it was a little more than a life-or-death situation." Now Rise blushed. _'Light wanted to save me. He and the others came here just for me.'_ "Alright then," Teddie said, "Now that I can fight alongside you guys, I need to shape up quick. Oh yeah, before I get started..." He handed something to Light. "It might be best for you to give these to Rise," he said with a wink. And then he flopped down on the floor and started doing sit-ups, which looked quite comical in his flat state.

* * *

As Light walked Rise back home, she asked him, "So your primary concern was getting to me as soon as possible?" Light was still nervous. "Well... I didn't want to lose you. Not before I understood my own feelings toward you." Rise couldn't help but giggle. "You may be the first boy ever to legitimately fall in love with me. However..." She turned to him, her face a little red. "I think I may be falling in love with you too. I mean, you seem to understand me better than anyone else I've met. Not to mention saving me from that strange place." "Oh," Light said, "That reminds me. Teddie wanted me to give you these." He brought another pair of glasses for Rise.

"Since you may be joining our investigation team now," he said, "Teddie had these made." Rise tried them on. "They look awesome. This proves I'm one of you guys." Light nodded. "They're more than a fashion statement. They actually help us to see through the fog in the TV world." "Nice," Rise said. Light smiled. "Nice to see you more cheerful." "Well I can't stay down in the dumps forever right?," Rise said, "Oh, I hope that doesn't ruin your image of me." Light shook his head and placed a hand on Rise's cheek. "It doesn't matter to me how you act. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing fake about you." Rise blushed, but smiled as she and Light embraced. _'It's good to finally know real love,'_ Light thought to himself, _'Now I just have to work hard to keep it.'_

* * *

The next rainy night showed nothing on the Midnight Channel. As the mysterious figure walked down the foggy street, it saw something hanging from a nearby apartment railing. "Maybe I succeeded this time." But when the figure got a closer look, it saw that the dead body was that of an adult male. The body had a trickle of blood coming from its forehead, a sign that it had been killed in the real world. "That's definitely not my work," the figure said, "But maybe I can use it to my advantage. In any case, I can't leave a dead body here to rot." The figure picked up its cell and dialed in an emergency number. "I'd like to report a possible murder victim..."

**Next time: **Mr. Morooka has been found murdered, despite not having been seen on any news reports or the Midnight Channel. The gang is confused, and a new development with Teddie doesn't help matters. A new suspect has emerged, with a direct challenge on the next Midnight Channel...

**Next chapter: Hanged Man**

**Touch and go there, huh? Things are only gonna get crazier. Send me reviews.**


	13. Chapter 13: Hanged Man

**Okay, I figure at least some kids under eighteen may have thought it was safe up till now to read this, and for the most part they may have been right. But I tell you here and now that there will some rather disturbing concepts in this chapter. Reader discretion is advised. Oh yeah, when a character d-o-e-s t-h-i-s it mean the sound of their voice is vibrating. (I know, I should have put these in the first chapter. But since I figured they would only show up in certain chapters I decided to put the alert IN that chapter.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or Death Note.**

**Last time:** Despite the gang's best efforts, Rise Kujikawa had wound up kidnapped and thrown into the TV world. Light, desperate to save her, compiled all the information he could to help Teddie in the event his senses were still dulled. Light's will alone proved enough to help, however, and Teddie was able to lead the gang right to her. After a dangerous confrontation with Rise's shadow, who was able to read their every move, Rise got her Persona Himiko. Things weren't over for the gang yet though. A shadow version of Teddie appeared out of nowhere, somehow able to go berserk without being rejected. The gang was still able win, and Teddie was able to obtain his own Persona, Kintoki-Douji. Things are looking up, with Rise ready to return Light's feelings. But a strange new development has occurred.

Chapter 13: Hanged Man

Light and Adachi arrived at the scene where Dojima had called from. "I wasn't expecting another murder after so long," Light said, "And for once I was hoping I wouldn't be called in." Adachi seemed surprised. "Why? It's not like you have anything better to do." Light glared at him. "For your information, I had a date planned. You remember a few days ago I was asked to look after Rise while you and my friends chased that stalker. Well, it kinda clicked between us and we decided to start going out." Adachi chuckled nervously. "You know you're gonna break a lot of hearts doing that." "Quiet you two, this is serious," Dojima interrupted. Light and checked under the sheet. "What the...?," he said in shock, "This is Kinshiro Morooka! One of the teachers at Yasogami High."

"You knew him?," Dojima said, raising an eyebrow. Light nodded. "We met at the school camping trip. I was attending for extra credit. Besides, I heard a little about him from my friends." He took a look at the corpse and found something strange. "Are we sure this is the same killer as Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi?" "Seems like it," Dojima said, "He was found dangling from the railing of an apartment building. We were alerted by an anonymous phone call. Why, is something different this time?" Light pointing to the obvious head trauma on the victim. "I think the coroner will have an easier time establishing cause of death. I'm not sure, but I think we may be dealing with a copycat."

* * *

As Yukiko and Chie were walking to school together the next morning, they heard a creepy voice call out, "Hey there... Yukiko." The two of them turned around to see an older student, wearing a uniform different from one of their school. He was pretty creepy to look at, and seemed to be breathing heavy. "Come on, let's go out." "Uh...," Yukiko said, understandably uncomfortable. As the creepy guy tried getting closer, he felt a shadow on his back. Turning around, he saw Kanji standing behind him. "You want something here punk?," Kanji asked in a low tone. The student didn't try anything, but just stomped off saying, "Damn it, you'll all pay for this!" "What did that guy want exactly?," Yukiko said. Chie sighed. "He wanted a date. What, it wasn't obvious?" Yukiko just shook her head.

* * *

The gang got the shock of their lives learning that Morooka had been murdered the previous night. "I betcha anything Light knew of this before we did," Yosuke said, "We'd better discuss this with him after school." Yukiko looked toward the door. "I wonder who our knew homeroom teacher will be?" They didn't have long to wonder. Through the door came a moderately attractive yet middle-aged woman with a voluptuous body. "Hello there students," she said, "My name is Noriko Kashiwaga, the biology teacher. I have been assigned as your new homeroom teacher after Mr. Morooka's untimely death. I would like to start today with a moment of silence for the departed." The students all closed their eyes and clasped their hands. When they opened their eyes again, Kashiwaga was sitting on her desk in a seductive manner. This earned her nothing but groans from a few students. "Why do I get the feeling she's actually gonna be less of a teacher than King Moron?," Yosuke asked.

* * *

"She's such a shameless flirt it's unbearable," Chie said, "And it's not just the girls who think so. The boys in class don't like it either." She and the rest of the gang had met up with Light at Junes after school. Light had been eager to find out who had replaced Morooka, and heard nothing but bad things. "Seriously," Yukiko said, "Morooka may have been nasty, but at least he acted like a real teacher." Yosuke looked at Light. "That reminds me. Any leads on Morooka's killer." Light nodded. "The thing that struck me as the most odd was that Morooka appeared to have been killed in the real world. Other than some light bruising, Ms. Yamano and Saki both appeared to be untouched. And of course, we all know that Morooka had neither been on the news nor on the Midnight Channel."

"Hey yeah," Kanji realized, "The Midnight Channel last night was blank, no one to show after we saved Rise. So how did Morooka wind up dead?" "Well I have a theory," Light said, "I believe we may be dealing with a copycat. True the fact that our killer uses the TV world as his or her weapon opens up other possibilities, but given the MO so far I think it's a rather educated guess." He then noticed Naoto was approaching them. "Well now," Light said, "What brings you to our neck of the woods?" Naoto smiled. "I came to mention that a suspect has been identified. Your little game will soon be over." Yukiko grew angry. "This isn't a game to us! Do you know how many lives have been at stake? If anyone sees this as a game it's you!" Naoto looked surprised, but said nothing and walked off.

"What did she mean a suspect?," Rise said. "When we examined the area around Morooka's body," Light explained, "We found a baseball bat with blood on it. After confirming the blood was Morooka's, the bat was identified as the murder weapon. I guess the police found out who the bat belongs to. Hold on a sec." Light picked up his cell phone and called Dojima. After a minute or two of talking, he hung up. "Seems our new suspect's name is Mitsuo Kubo, another transfer student like Yu and Yosuke. Hasn't been around long, and apparently he still wears his old school's uniform." Chie thought of something. "I wonder... Could it be the same guy who tried to hit on Yukiko?" "I'd still like a little peace of mind regarding Morooka not being thrown in the TV," Yosuke said, "We should go check with Teddie."

When they got to the electronic department, Light suddenly said, "I think we have a problem." Yosuke looked over Light's shoulder. "Hey, those guys work here. What are they doing in this section?" "Think they could have found out about the TV?," Kanji asked. Yu shook his head, "You need a Persona to be able to travel through the TV freely." One of the employees noticed Yosuke and said, "Hey there Yosuke, this guy over there says he's a friend of yours. Called himself... What was it? Doug Teddie?" "Doug Teddie?," Yosuke said, "You don't think...?" He and the others went over to where the employee indicated and saw Teddie, back to his old self, relaxing in one of the vibrating chairs on display.

"O-h-h-h-h! T-h-i-s f-e-e-l-s g-r-e-a-t!" "Whoa! He's here!," Chie said in surprise. Light was just as shocked as the others. "I didn't know you could leave the TV world." "Of course I can," Teddie said, "There is an exit after all. I just never thought to use it until recently. But I got so lonely after my training I decided to come see you guys. Oh yeah, a couple of people asked me my name so I said, 'Duh, Teddie'." _'Hence, Doug Teddie,'_ Light thought. "Listen, was there anyone in the TV world last night." Teddie got of the chair. "Nope. I was all by my lonesome while training. My senses may still be a little dull, but I would certainly have known if someone besides you guys showed up." "As I thought," Light said, "Morooka was definitely killed here in the real world."

As they went back out to their usual table, Teddie complained, "Gosh, it's hot in your world." He started to unzip his head, but Yosuke tried to stop him. "You idiot, you've got nothing inside you. You'll scar little kids for life." Teddie just knocked him back. "Relax Yosuke. I'm not so empty anymore." He finished unzipping, and to everyone's surprise his head came up on it's own. Yu spotted what looked like a human torso in the space between Teddie's head and body. "No way..." To everyone's surprise, inside Teddie's body was another body. He was blonde-haired and looked to be about the same age as Yu and Yosuke, with a similar build. "Ah," Teddie said, "Nice breeze." Light took a good look at the new Teddie. Other than the suit, he didn't seem to be wearing anything.

"What the heck?," Yosuke said in shock. Teddie sipped his drink calmly. "See while I was training I found myself growing this human body to fit in with the rest of you, and maybe score with a girl. One problem though. Right now I'm naked as a new-born. I don't suppose anyone could lend me some clothes." Chie and Yukiko quickly rushed Teddie out of there and toward the men's department. The rest of the gang was just dumbfounded. "Dude grew a human body...," Kanji muttered. Light nodded silently. "I always thought he had the mind of a human. I guess he somehow managed to take the next step. Things are definitely gonna be more interesting with Teddie here in the real world. But, where is he gonna stay?" Every looked right at Yosuke. "What?," he asked.

* * *

The gang reconvened in the men's department, with Teddie now dressed in a white dress-shirt and black dress-pants. He had used his shadow powers to temporarily dematerialize his bear suit. "Not bad huh?," Teddie said, "I bet I'll turn a few heads looking like this." Rise grinned nervously. "Is he trying to pretend he has swagger?" Everyone just laughed at that. Yosuke then sighed. "Anyway Teddie, it looks like you'll be staying at my place. It shouldn't be too much trouble getting you a job as a mascot here." "That reminds me," Chie said, "Where's Teddie's other head? You know, the one on his bear suit." Yu face-palmed. "We left it back at the food court. Come on Light. We need to grab that thing before it scares some poor little kid."

* * *

Nanako was walking through the grocery department at Junes, a shopping basket under her arm. As she looked through the aisles, her face suddenly lit up. "Oh good, pickled radishes. And they still have two left." But as she reached for one of the packets, someone else grabbed them both. She looked up to see a creepy man about her cousin's age, an angry look on his face. "You got in my way," he said in a vicious tone, "Do you even know how dangerous I am?" Nanako was terrified as the creepy man reached for her. "Hey," came Yu's voice. Yu quickly stepped between the man and Nanako, ready to defend her. "You must be the guy from school Chie mentioned," Light said as he stepped behind the man, "What, you can only act tough around defenseless young women?"

The man just stomped off, growling, "Idiots, I'll make you pay for this." As he did, he dropped the pickled radishes. A sudden thought came over Light, and he took out a pocket fingerprinting kit. Nanako hugged her cousin in relief. "I'm so glad you're here Big Bro. But wait... Why are you here?" Yu wondered what she meant, then realized something. "Hey Light, where did we leave Teddie's costume head?" "You shoved it into one of the shelves over there when you saw Nanako in trouble," Light said, pointing with his fingerprint brush. Yu nodded and went over to get it. Nanako was curious. "Does Junes have a new mascot or something?" Yu nodded. "He should be starting sometime today or tomorrow. He's a new friend of ours from out of town." "Wow," Nanako said, "I hope I get to meet him. Your friends are all so cool Big Bro."

* * *

Later that day, Light was at the police department running the fingerprints he obtained against the ones they had found on the baseball bat. "What's up Light?," Adachi asked as he came in. Light turned to look at him. "I may be in the process of getting a positive ID on our suspect. I got this fingerprint off a packet of pickled radishes this creep dropped." "You think that person may be our perp?," Adachi asked. "Maybe," Light said, "Me and Narukami found him when he was threatening Dojima's daughter." After a second, the computer came up with a positive match. "All right," Light said as he got up, "I'll talk with a sketch artist, and we can put out an APB." Dojima came in. "That may not be necessary. Our Mr. Kubo has turned himself in."

* * *

Light looked at the man through the one-way glass and said, "That's the guy I saw all right. And I'm pretty sure he's the same guy who tried harassing Yukiko at the high school." "We can easily pin Kinshiro Morooka's murder on him," Dojima said, "But we still have no proof he killed Mayumi Yamano or Saki Konishi. Everything he's told us about those murders is nothing we don't already know. Still, he's insistent he's the killer we're searching for. I spoke with the director about your copycat theory, and he's agreed to keep the case open until further evidence implicating Kubo in the first two murders appears. Which means you and Naoto may still have work to do." Light nodded.

_'I highly doubt Kubo is our killer. Yes, he killed Morooka but that was the extent of his crimes. He's just a loser punk who was hungry for attention. So he went ahead and started telling people he was the killer. And why not, up until recently we never had any suspects. But of course most folks would just see him as some sort of troll. So he decides to go and kill someone for real. Maybe then they'll believe him. Trouble is, he knows nothing about how the murders are really committed. I can picture it in my mind. Morooka is walking home late at night, maybe he had one too many. Kubo sneaks up behind him, bat in hand. Judging from the fact that Morooka's injuries are in front, Kubo may have done something to get his attention, then struck the second Morooka finished turning around. He then hung Morooka over the railing of a nearby building, perhaps to imitate how the first two victims were found.'_

"Something on your mind Light?," came Dojima's voice. Light snapped out of his thoughts. "Just forming my own theory as to how the murder went down. I'd like to be present for Kubo's interrogation to see if it matches up." Dojima nodded. Moments later Light walked out of the interrogation room, thoroughly satisfied. "I'm certain now that Mitsuo Kubo did kill Kinshiro Morooka," he told Dojima, "But I don't believe he killed the other two. The time-lines don't match up, and he left out certain details. He actually claimed to have wrestled with the officer guarding Ms. Yamano, but we both know Adachi didn't have any injuries from that time, save for a tiny scratch on his cheek." "All right then," Dojima said, "We'll keep him here until his trial. Since he wants his actions public, I doubt he'll try anything."

* * *

That was what Dojima said. But the very next rainy night something new showed up on the Midnight Channel. Kanji was alone in his room thinking about the events that happened so far. When he saw the Midnight Channel appear and saw someone actually on it, he was shocked. "Hey, that's the kid that was hassling Yukiko." Kubo was on the Midnight Channel, with an arrogant look on his face. _"Hello there, everyone. I am the man responsible for the Inaba murders. I have a message to the police force, and those two detectives who have been a thorn in my side for months. Come and get me, if you can..."_ And with that, the picture faded. Kanji got out his cell phone and called Light. 'Yagami speaking.' "Dude, you'll never believe who was just on the Midnight Channel," Kanji said. Light sighed. 'It's Mitsuo Kubo. I watch the Midnight Channel too, remember?' Kanji blinked. "Oh yeah, that's right." 'This doesn't make sense,' Light said, 'Last I saw of Kubo, he had turned himself over to police and was locked up in a holding cell.'

* * *

"HE WHAT?!," Yosuke yelled out the next day. The gang had all seen the Midnight Channel last night, and were shocked by what Light had told them. "I'm a little surprised myself," Light said, "But since Kubo is a transfer student, I guess he somehow got the same power me and Narukami did. Don't forget that before Yosuke got his Persona, Narukami and I were the only ones who could pass through the TV. And there are certain interrogation rooms with TVs large enough to fit through. What I don't get is why Kubo would run in the first place? He wants people to know he committed these murders." "Maybe he's committing suicide," Rise suggested, "You know, wait until the fog lifts in the TV world and wind up dead himself."

"I don't think so," Yosuke said, "I think he's using it to hide out until the heats off. He may not now too much about the TV world. But he probably knows there is an exit. Sure, I can see him missing Yukiko or Kanji, but Rise's a celebrity. If she wound up dead there would a media outburst." "But why run into the TV world in the first place?," Kanji asked. Yosuke thought a minute. "Well, let's say there's this high school student. He sees the Midnight Channel, and not knowing how it really works, he thinks Ms. Yamano is his soul mate. He sneaks into the inn, but she rejects him. In anger, he pushes her and she winds up going through the TV. He's surprised, and later finds out she's dead in the real world. Not knowing what to make of it, he soon runs into Saki and falls in love."

"But she's not ready to have her heart broken again," Kanji said, now getting it, "So in anger he throws her into the nearest TV. If it worked once, it would work again right?" Yosuke nodded. "Now he's got a taste for it. So then next thing he does is to go back to the inn. Maybe he saw Yukiko at some point and thought she was cute. But now, he doesn't wait for rejection, he just throws her in and waits. But soon after, he finds out she's still alive and well. He thinks maybe she got out on her own somehow. Since no one even noticed him after that, he decided to try using the TV to kill the biggest, toughest student in town. But when he finds out that his victim escaped yet again, he gets angry. Then he hears a young celebrity has come to town."

"He figures he can get some real recognition if she dies," Chie said, "But for the third time she escapes. Now the student is beginning to think someone's interfering." Yosuke nodded. "It's the old rule, once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, thrice is enemy action. Now our student is angry. He's eager to kill. He decides to go out and kill someone in the real world just to vent his frustration. Only now that he's done it, he's in trouble. Killing someone in the TV world leaves the murder almost unsolvable. But killing someone in the real world leaves evidence. So at first he decides to turn himself in. But this is just a ruse, so he can escape right under the polices' noses. He figures they'll never find him in the TV world, so then-"

"This is all a good theory," Light said, "But it's based on the assumption that Kubo killed all three victims. However, I believe he may in fact be a copycat." Yosuke turned to him. "You mentioned that yesterday. But then why didn't you say anything about my theory until just now?" "I always like to hear what other people think before I deliver my thoughts," Light explained, "But getting back to my theory. It's not just the fact that Morooka was killed in the real world. When I interrogated Kubo back at the police station regarding the first two murders, he couldn't give any information that wasn't already public knowledge. Not to mention, he offered a story that just didn't match up with our knowledge of the facts. Plus, setting the fact that Morooka never showed up on the Midnight Channel aside, there is the fact that he was never on the news. I've been led to believe that our killer has been getting his ideas that way."

Yu put a hand to his chin and said, "So Kubo could in fact be just another victim that the real killer is using him as a scapegoat." Light nodded. "But one way or another we have to get Kubo out of the TV world. Not only is it really dangerous to ordinary people, but Kubo still has to stand trial for Morooka's death. Luckily I already know plenty about Kubo from interrogating him, so tracking him should be no problem." "In that case," Rise said, "Maybe I can try tracking him instead of Teddie. Since my Persona is no good for combat, I figure I should help out somehow. This could be my chance to find out what Himiko can really do." Light nodded. "That's actually a good idea. Speaking of, we need a weapon for Teddie." Teddie grinned. "I could always use my bear-y sharp claws. I got them this morning at that steel works." He grabbed his bear suit and got back into it.

* * *

Inside the TV world, Light gave Rise all the information he had on Kubo. As she put on the visor given to her by Himiko, a curious thing happened. "Whoa," Yosuke said, "This is the whole TV world?" A holographic projection appeared from the visor. It was a perfect duplicate of Inaba, only with a few changes. "There's that hotel where we saw the faceless posters," Chie said, "And right next to it is the castle where we saved Yukiko. It's right where the inn should be." Kanji looked. "Yeah, and there's that bathhouse right on top of my ma's textile shop. And see that strip club? It's where the tofu shop would be." "Yep," Light said, "And there's the morgue I was in. It's right where Adachi's house would be." The others looked at Light. "What?," he said, "Didn't I mention I was staying at his house?"

"Anyway," Yu said, "If Kubo did enter a TV at the police station..." He looked for a bit, then pointed. "There. It looks like some sort of video game castle. That's where Kubo would be." "I'm definitely picking up Kubo's energy signature," Rise said, "And guys, there's two of him." "That'll be Kubo's shadow," Teddie said, "And no doubt it'll be a strong one. We'd better be careful going in there." "I really don't like the fact that this is video game castle," Chie said, "It makes me think this Kubo kid thinks of life as nothing more than a game. I'd hate to see what his room is like..."

* * *

Once they got to the castle, Rise immediately projected a map of the interior. "This place is one huge maze," she said, "Though from what you guys have told me, that's nothing new. There's a very dangerous shadow about seven floors up." Yu nodded. "That would be the guardian shadow. We'll need to get by it in order to find Kubo's shadow. If he dies, we lose our path to the truth forever." "What does that mean?," Chie asked. "I've been having certain dreams at night where I find myself in a strange room called the Velvet Room," Yu explained, "It's proprietor, Igor, has mentioned many times that if we fail to solve this mystery it will mean disaster. He's also mentioned at various points that if we don't save whoever is in the TV world, the path to the truth will be forever lost."

"Then what are we waiting for?," Kanji said, "An invitation? Let's get in there and find Kubo." Heading up to the seventh floor, the gang saw nothing but a glove with a plaster head on the wrist. "That's the guardian shadow?," Yukiko said. Rise did a quick scan. "Careful, that things stronger than it looks." Immediately the shadow turned into a fist and plowed right into Chie, knocking her to the ground. Before it could come down on her head, Yu called out, "Rakukaja!" A small energy aura appeared around Chie, stopping the hand in mid-air. "Watch out," Rise said, "It's not called the Killing Hand for nothing." "Then let's knock it off balance," Yosuke said, "Garu!" The windstorm created by Jiraiya kept the Killing Hand flailing in mid-air. Teddie jumped in the air after it, unsheathing his claws and spinning vertically. "Throw it now!," he called out. Kintoki-Douji appeared carrying something over his head. Light looked at it. "That's a Tomahawk Missile!" Teddie slashed through the Killing Hand, and seconds later Kintoki-Douji threw the missile right into the shadow. Teddie landed and offered a theatrical bow. The others just grinned nervously.

"Okay," Teddie said, full of confidence, "Now that we've gotten rid of that guardian, how much father until we reach Kubo's shadow." Rise scanned the castle. "He's on the tenth floor. The real Kubo is with him. Funny thing is, nether of them are moving. For whatever reason, the shadow hasn't tried anything." "Come to think about it," Yukiko said, "The shadow here hasn't even confronted us. Do think it's because of Kubo's perceived isolation?" Yosuke put a hand to his chin. "It's possible. But that doesn't make it any less dangerous. Let's hurry to the tenth floor." They hurried through the rest of the castle. When they got to the top they heard what sounded like Kubo's voice.

"Come on dammit! Say something!," Kubo was yelling. In front of him was his shadow, just standing there. It didn't even look menacing. In fact compared to the real Kubo, this shadow actually seemed harmless. Kubo was just ranting on about his life and how screwed up it was, and for a while it was actually hard to tell which one of them was the shadow. Finally Kubo realized that there was someone else there. He turned around to see the gang. "How did you guys...?" "Listen Kubo," Light said, "This may be hard to believe, but right now you're in a world inside the TV. Do you remember anything from before you came here?" Kubo shook his head, clearly in disbelief. This only solidified Light's theory that Kubo was just a copycat.

"So wait," Kubo said, "Who's this guy?" He pointed at his lookalike. "That's your shadow," Teddie said, "It's a manifestation of your inner thoughts. In a way, it is you." Kubo just laughed. "I may be willing to believe we're in a TV world, but there's no way this thing is anything like me. I mean look at it, it won't even move or talk. I'm not like that at all, so there's no he's me." As Kubo continued to rant on, the shadow was slowly engulfed in the red aura. By the time Kubo realized something was wrong, the shadow had already begun to transform. Light quickly got Kubo out of the way before the darkness subsided, revealing a somewhat deformed human infant with a halo of blue symbols around its head. Several multicolored blocks appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the shadow, creating an 8-bit knight of sorts.

"Not good," Rise said, "Those blocks are creating a barrier. If we don't break through it we won't be able to damage the shadow." Yu turned to Kanji. "Time for some brute force." Kanji nodded. "Kill Rush!" Chie followed suit. "Skull Cracker!" Tomoe and Take-Mikazuchi struck from opposite sides of the shadow, their blows scattering the blocks all around. "Let's make sure some of these can't come back," Light said, "Skewer!" Yoshitsune sliced through several of the blocks, turning them to dust as he continued his way to the shadow. The shadow's eyes widened, and it tried to rebuild as much of the barrier as it could. "Oh no you don't!," Kanji called out, "Mazio!" A massive lightning storm destroyed more of the blocks, weakening the barrier even further.

"We need to hit this thing with all we have," Yu said, "Makami! Agilo!" A papery lizard appeared in Izanagi's place, launching a fireball at the shadow, blocked it with a shield. Yu was undeterred. "King Frost! Bufula!" A golden metal snowman with a crown and staff appeared and launched a snowstorm at the shadow. It broke the shield and started to freeze the shadow. "I think you've got it Yu," Light said, "Keep it up." Yu nodded. "High Pixie! Mazio!" A humanoid female with insect wings appeared and fired an electric orb at Shadow Mitsuo, further destroying the barrier. The shadow retaliated with a fire blast. "Not so fast," Yu said, "Pyro Jack!" Pyro Jack appeared and absorbed the fire in his lantern. The shadow tried again, this time with windstorms. Yu adjusted his glasses. "Yamato-no-Orochi!" The eight-headed serpent appeared and blocked the attack with an energy shield.

"Holy cow," Yosuke said, "How many Personae has Yu been stockpiling?" Yu smiled back at Yosuke. "Leanen Sidhe!" An elven woman in a purple dress appeared next to the shadow and blew into its ear, causing it to go ballistic and actually shoot pieces of its own barrier at the gang. "Ara Mitama!," Yu called out, and the red magatama cast a barrier that pulverized the barrier pieces on contact. "Light," Yu said, "Let's finish it together." Light nodded. "Skewer!" "Izanagi! Cleave!" Izanagi and Yoshitsune swung their swords as one and sliced through the shadow, destroying it. When Kubo saw it was safe to come out, he stood in front of the gang. "So, you guys are here to arrest me right? After all, I'm the one who killed those three people..." Light sighed, then saw the shadow was fading out of existence. "He still won't accept his shadow. Maybe it's better that way."

* * *

Once they left the TV world, Light contacted Dojima to tell him they had recaptured Kubo. He was driven off, still wanting everyone to believe he was the real killer. "Well," Yosuke said, "For now I guess we've earned a break. If the killer really was using Kubo as a scapegoat, they won't strike again for some time." Yu nodded. "In that case, why don't we have a little get together at my place. Nanako's been asking to meet Teddie after I saved her from Kubo." "Don't get any ideas," Light said when he saw Teddie's face, "Nanako's barely twelve years old." Teddie laughed nervously. The rest of the gang started laughing as well, glad that for now things would be calming down, though deep down they all knew the real killer was still at large. But until he struck again, they would return to their normal school lives.

**Next time: **The school field trip is here and everyone is pumped. However, things promise to get awkward as Ms. Kashiwaga is the one in charge of setting everything up. When the gang sees Naoto at a local club they invite him to accompany them. Things start getting strange, and Light discovers something that could put the gang's secret in jeopardy...

**Next chapter: Death**

**Wow, never thought I'd write so long a chapter. Then again, I had a lot to type. I may never get a chapter this long again, but it's still too early to tell. Anyway, send me reviews.**


	14. Chapter 14: Death

**Just a reminder, the title of the chapters mean nothing. I'm merely doing these in order of the cards. Fun fact: the Major Arcana is meant to represent a journey.**

**Disclaimer: I own neither Persona 4 nor Death Note.**

**Last time: **In a shocking development, Kinshiro Morooka, a teacher from Yasogami High, is found murdered. Due to the diverse nature of this murder as opposed to the last two, Light suspects a copycat. In the meantime, a seductive new teacher named Noriko Kashiwaga takes Morooka's place. Later, the gang gets the shock of their lives when Teddie comes to the real world. Even stranger, he's grown a human body inside his bear suit just to fit in better. The case seems closed when a new suspect, Mitsuo Kubo, turns himself in claiming to be the murderer. But Light only believes Kubo killed Morooka, and no one else. Then things take a turn for the worst when Kubo winds up on the Midnight Channel. The gang goes in after him and after a massive battle against a disturbing shadow, Kubo is recaptured. But the gang is wary that the real killer may still be lurking somewhere in Inaba.

Chapter 14: Death

The gang was starting their celebration of a job well done. With Mitsuo Kubo in custody it would be a while before any new victims turned up. Still wanting to prove she could cook as well as the guys, Chie had insisted on a cooking contest with Nanako as the judge. It would be two teams of three, since Kanji wasn't much of a cook and Teddie didn't even know what cooking was. To make things fair, they would each work on an omelet dish. At Junes, each team was picking out what they would use to mix in with the dish. Rise and Light were on the same team, but Light was starting to think his girlfriend had been to one-too-many fancy parties. "Foie gras?," he asked her, "You do realize that's duck's liver right?" Rise frowned at him. "It's a food for discerning pallets."

Light looked sheepish and said, "Nanako's only twelve. I kinda doubt she had a discerning pallet." Rise thought about it for a second then decided to put the package back. "You're right. I kinda forgot who we're cooking for." She smiled at him. "Between you and me, I tried it once and it tasted awful. So knowing that, I doubt Nanako will like it." She looked over the shelves. "Let's try some shredded chicken instead." "Now that might work," Light said. Meanwhile, Yukiko and Yu were in the spice aisle. They were going for a curry omelet. Yu had mentioned that curry was Nanako's favorite. "We need to remember not to make it too spicy," he said, "The regular spices should do the trick." Yukiko smiled. "I kinda feel we have an unfair advantage. I mean, Nanako is your cousin."

"Salsa? Sour cream? Chopped beef?," Yosuke asked in confusion, "Are we making an omelet or an enchilada?" He and Chie were on the same team, but her choices were a bit extreme. "I figure it may be good to try experimenting," Chie said, "Since omelets are a bit of a blank slate, why not add a little extra? Besides, with what I learned from Light we should still have a pretty kick-ass omelet that tastes terrific." Yosuke nodded. "Yeah, it does seem like it'll still work." Watching from a nearby aisle, Naoto kept to himself. _'I doubt any of them are the culprit, but they do seem to have some connection with this case. I need to find out somehow. But I can't just walk up and ask them.'_

* * *

At the Dojima household, all three presented their omelets one at a time. First was Chie and Yosuke's. Nanako took a big bite. "Wow, that's pretty good. I didn't know eggs and sour cream could go so well together." Chie breathed a sigh of relief. "Truth be told I was a little nervous about the sour cream part." Light and Rise presented theirs next. In addition to the shredded chicken, Light had suggested a topping of melted cheese for texture. The taste of it put a big smile on Nanako's face. "The cheese makes a great topping. This is excellent." Rise smiled, glad she had decided to try this instead of the foie gras. Finally came Yu and Yukiko's. Is was colored red because of the spice in it. Nanako tried some of it. "Wow, curry! I love curry. This one is the best." "I knew it," Yukiko said with a smile, "Unfair advantage." The whole gang laughed and together they finished off the rest of the omelets.

* * *

Outside school the next day, Yu and Yosuke were surprised to see Naoto walking up behind them wearing a school uniform. "Wait a minute," Yosuke said, "I didn't know you go to this school." Naoto looked at them. "I do now. I just transferred recently. Thought it might help pass the time until the case picks up again." According to Light, even though a suspect had been arrested, the case was still open due to suspicion of Kubo being a copycat to the real killer. The director had tried to close it for the sake of the people, but Light had insisted that they would have more peace of mind if the case remained open until the real killer was caught, than if the case was closed and then the real killer struck again. Given the amount of evidence Light had that Kubo had only killed Morooka, the police were forced to keep the case open until further notice. "So it looks like Naoto will be in the same class as Rise and Kanji," Yu said, "I hope this doesn't make Kanji feel too awkward."

* * *

The school field trip was coming up. While everyone was stoked, they soon learned that it would be a study trip to Tatsumi Port Island, or at least the first part would be. This had already been decided by Morooka prior to his death. "Even from beyond the grave," Yosuke complained, "He still finds ways to torture us." Yukiko chuckled. "Come on, it won't be all bad. The study part only lasts part of the day. Once that's done we get to hang out. I hear there are some interesting places to hang out around the island. Rise even offered to show us. Plus, Light and Teddie are coming with us." "Really?," Chie said, "Why would Light join us for this? It's not like he has to study or anything, even though he does it anyway. I swear the guy knows almost everything about anything." Yu looked over to her. "Well someone had to bring Teddie over. You know how Teddie gets when he gets lonely. Besides, it's good to have some camaraderie every once in a while."

* * *

Despite its name, Tatsumi Port Island had nothing to do with Kanji's family. Instead, it had been built by the Kirijo Group, an organization who had constructed the whole island for some unknown purpose. Judging from how well Ms. Kashiwaga led the group, she had been here before. "I remember a year ago," she said, "A pair of gorgeous young men were scouring the beach for young beauties. One of them had the physique of Adonis, and I tried to approach him. But he... HE REJECTED ME! WHY DO MEN ALWAYS REJECT ME?! I'M BEAUTIFUL AND HAVE ALL THE RIGHT CURVES, RIGHT?!" _'Personally I think she's a little disproportionate,'_ Yosuke thought. They soon came to Gekkoukan High. Yukiko seemed to recognize the school uniforms.

"I remember a a student wearing that same uniform visiting Inaba once when I was still in middle school," she said. Yu looked over at her. "Really, what was his name?" Yukiko tried to think. "I think it was Minato... Something... I can't remember his last name." At the front entrance to the high school, a young woman in her senior year was there to greet the students. "Hello," she said, "My name is Chihiro Fushimi, student council president here at Gekkoukan High School." Chie looked at her. She had light brown flowing hair and a pair of reading glasses. There was an air of elegance about her that made Chie seem kind of jealous. "Oh man," she said, "Why can't I be that womanly?" Yosuke smiled at her. "It's not like you need much to impress me." Chie nodded at him, but was still pouting.

* * *

The rest of the day had consisted of tours and lectures, and by the end of it only Yukiko and Yu still seemed to be wide awake. "Seriously," Kanji said, "Even our own high school isn't this strict. Whoever owns this 'Kirijo Group' must want to train rocket scientists our something." "They say different schools have different standards," came Light's voice, cheering Rise up right away. Light walked up to the gang, Teddie right behind him. Light was carrying a black briefcase with him. "I've actually heard of the Kirijo Group before," Light said, "We're waiting for them to pick up a certain item we recovered from some professional thieves who hijacked one of their cargo planes. If you can believe it, it was Adachi of all people who caught them."

"Adachi?!," Yosuke said in surprise, "Guy looks like he'd run in terror from a jaywalker if he was on his own." Everyone laughed at that. They soon came upon the hotel where they were supposed to be staying, but something about it seemed off. Light looked it over and said, "This hotel looks like it was refurbished." Rise sighed. "They probably bought it from a company that went under. I imagine some of the original features are still there. And given that Ms. Kashiwaga told us to get our own rooms..." "Oh," Yu suddenly realized, "It's one of those love-" Yosuke quickly clamped his hand over Yu's mouth. "You don't say that sort of thing out loud dude!" Everyone looked sheepish at this statement, but decided to go in anyway.

"Okay," Light said, "I have no idea how we are gonna do this without someone feeling awkward." There were only four rooms left, and eight of them. But the ratio of guys to girls was five-to-three, meaning two guys would have to share a room. "I suppose it would be me and Rise, Yu and Yukiko, and Yosuke and Chie. But that would mean Kanji and Teddie would have to share a room. And I have a funny feeling that these rooms only have one bed apiece." "Big deal," Kanji said, "I'll just sleep on the floor or something, maybe in a chair. I've fallen asleep in weird places while making dolls at my ma's shop before now." Suddenly a commotion was heard outside. It looked like some local bullies were picking on a little kid.

"Hey!," Chie said, and moved to stand between them. "Get lost babe," one of the bullies said, "Unless you wanna get slugged." Chie just put her hands on her hips and glared. "If you really wanna hit me, then go on. Take your best shot." At that statement, the bully flinched and then looked around nervously. "What's the matter?," Chie asked angrily, "You were just threatening to hit me a little earlier. What, was that an empty threat? Come on, if you think you can." "Tch," the bully said, and he and his cronies walked off. As soon as they were gone, Chie breathed a sigh of relief. "Wow Chie," Yosuke said, "That was amazing." Chie nodded. "I've realized something as of late. What I want to do most is protect people. Not just Yukiko, but people in general. I feel that way I may find my own self-worth." Yu nodded. "That's pretty admirable."

* * *

Since they had some time before bed, the gang decided to hit the town. Rise led them to an awesome club that she knew about. "Wow," Chie said upon seeing the atmosphere of the club, "This place gets me pumped up." Light nodded. "This place looks awesome Rise. Nice choice." Rise blushed. Yu and Yosuke checked the place out until they saw Naoto by himself at the bar. "No way," Yosuke said, "Fancy running into you here." Naoto saw them and pulled down his hat. "Well, I heard about this place by reputation and decided to check it out." "You're by yourself?," Yukiko said. Naoto nodded. "You should come hang with us," Yu said, "It's not a good idea to isolate yourself." Naoto looked at him, surprised. "You really want me to join you?," he asked, his voice surprisingly higher.

"Come on," Rise said, not seeming to notice, "We can all have fun together." She spoke to the barkeep, and after a few minutes the gang was led to one of the VIP rooms. They sat around a small table with several drinks and snacks. "Wow," Chie said, "This looks a little expensive." Rise gulped down her drink. "Don't worry about it. I once did a show here that got canceled during a power outage, so the owner owes me a few favors. This is all on the house." "I heard about that," Light said, "A certain incident about two years ago. I heard some folks actually claimed that strange monsters were involved." Yukiko chugged down her drink. "Who cares? If this is on the house, I'm not holding back." Chie looked a little worried. "How many have you had?" Teddie seemed a little red in the face as he downed drink after drink. He leaned over on Kanji's shoulder. "Dude, get off," Kanji said, shrugging Teddie off of him. "Don't be so rude Kanji," Teddie said, pouting. Then he thought for a second. "Kanji... Heh, I Kanjecture that something may be wrong with you!"

"Kanjecture...?," Yukiko said, then she burst out laughing. Chie looked really worried now. "You're even looser than usual." Yosuke suddenly started looking at his drink nervously. "Wait... These aren't... Alcoholic drinks are they...?" Chie fanned herself. "That would explain why I feel so hot." "No way," Rise said as she downed another, "I told them to give us soft drinks... They should be non-alcoholic." Yu laughed. "They can't be alcoholic. I'm sure they're not." He started to unbutton his shirt as he downed another drink. Turning to Kanji, he held up his glass. "Hit me." Rise downed yet another drink, then called out, "King's Game!" She pointed over to Kanji. "Kanji! Prepare the chopsticks!" But Yu already seemed to have a set ready and handed them over to Light. "The king's orders are absolute," he said. Rise giggled. "All right then."

Naoto looked over to Light and said, "What is this?" Light sighed. "It's a drinking game. There's one set of chopsticks for each of us. One is red, the others are numbered one through eight. Whoever gets the red chopstick is the king for that round and calls out a number and a command. Whoever has that number has to do that command or he's out. It can get pretty crazy." Rise fanned out the chopsticks, and everyone took one. "All right," Rise said, "Who's the king?" They each looked at their chopsticks, then Teddie called out, "Teddie's is red, that means Teddie is king. Okay then. I order number three to give me a smooch." Kanji suddenly freaked. Light soon saw why, as Kanji's chopstick had the number three on it. "Bad luck dude," Light said with a wry grin on his face, "And I'm not just talking Kanji."

"Oh, Kanji," Teddie said, "I had no idea you had a thing for me." Kanji tried to squirm away as Teddie leaned closer. Luckily, Teddie had no idea about real kissing and wound up headbutting Kanji instead. "Okay," Rise said, "That leaves one out. Now on to round two." Light took out his chopstick, which was number five. Rise waited until everyone had a chopstick. "All right, who's the king?" Yu casual put on his glasses and showed the red on his chopsticks. "I'm king." "Let's not have any crazy orders this time," Chie said nervously. Yukiko giggled. "That's not how it works Chie. If the last king ordered a smooch, the new king has to order something crazier." Yosuke grinned nervously. "Like what?" "Well," Rise said, "They could have someone sleep on their lap, or sit on their lap. Oh, or they could skip straight to hugging. Or better still, give them a piggyback ride."

Light adjusted his glasses and said, "Very well then." Talking a dart off the table, he looked at the nearby dart board. Without getting up, he threw the dart causing it to land on the number three spot. "Number three must hug me." Yukiko excitedly called out, "That's me!" Getting up, she slid into Yu's lap and put her arms around his neck. Seeing the expression of the others, she said, "How else am I gonna hug someone sitting down?" "Well," Light said, "She's got a point there." Rise suddenly yawned and flopped down on Light's lap. "Mm, Light..." Light blushed, but smiled and rubbed Rise's shoulder. "What am I gonna do with you?"

"Okay then," Yukiko said, "I'm the king now, or rather the queen." Yosuke had a sarcastic look on his face. "That's a step up from princess, but you didn't even pick a chopstick." "I think the game's out the window," Light said, noticing that Teddie was also falling asleep next to Kanji. Yukiko downed another drink. "Okay, someone has to say something embarrassing about themselves. Let's go with... Naoto!" "Huh?," Naoto said in surprise. He had been a casual observer until now. "Well, alright then. But in exchange..." He thought for a second. "I'd like you to tell me your connection to the murder case." _'Why do I get the feeling he was waiting for this chance?,'_ Light thought to himself. He, Yosuke, Kanji, and Naoto hadn't touched their drinks since the others started acting drunk. "Very well," Light said, "I'm actually curious to see what you have."

"I can't really think of anything embarrassing to talk about," Naoto said, "So I'll just explain my past. The members of my family have been detectives for many years now. I myself am the fifth generation of the Shirogane line to be a detective. We've often been called upon to aid the police in the most difficult cases that could not be solved otherwise. However a year ago, my parents were killed while investigating one of their toughest cases ever. They still got the last laugh in the end, as Light showed up afterwards to solve their murder." Kanji and Yosuke looked at Light, who nodded to confirm Naoto's story. Naoto continued, "After that you could say Light became a sort of idol of mine, as well as a rival. Shortly after I started living with my grandfather, I spent a year studying detective work, and was even mentored by the best detective in the world as of now."

"What a minute?," Light said, "You were mentored by L himself?" Naoto nodded. "How else could I gain the rank of fifth greatest detective so quickly. I'll admit some of L's... Eccentric... Techniques don't suit me. But I have taken many of his lessons to heart." He was silent for a bit, then Yosuke blurted out, "Wait, no punchline?" Naoto shook his head. "Now then, about your connection to the case." "Well," Yukiko said, "First we go in the TV... Then we call out our Personae to save the people." Naoto smirked. "Are you making fun of me?" Yosuke frantically said, "Don't pay attention to her, she's just a little drunk is all." He calmed down. "Actually the truth is, Light came to Inaba on the suggestion of his father who's the chief of the NPA. Seems he knows one of the officers in Inaba, and thought helping out in the case would do Light some good."

"I'd been getting bored as of late," Light said, "Not to mention overstressed. Anyway shortly after I came here I met Yosuke, Narukami, and Chie. Deciding I could use some help I asked if they could assist and they accepted. Yukiko was telling the truth about the saving people part though. She, Kanji, and Rise had all been kidnapped, supposedly by the killer. Shortly after Rise joined, Teddie found us and he joined too." Naoto nodded. "That seems more believable. But I should tell you, there are no alcoholic drinks at this club." Yukiko laughed. "Good one Naoto..." "No I checked it out," Naoto said, "They stopped serving alcoholic drinks here after a rash of drunk driving accidents last year." Chie looked flabbergasted. "Are you saying we're just drunk off the atmosphere?"

_'Hold on,'_ Light thought, _'There's drunk of the atmosphere, and then there's just drunk. And come to think of it, didn't Chie mention it was a little hot in this room.'_ He looked over to the thermostat on the wall. It read thirty-degrees Celsius. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of someone just outside the door of the VIP room. They must have noticed him, because the person quickly left. _'Someone was watching us,'_ Light thought, _'And for a reason. Good thing I always bring this with me...'_ Light took out the black briefcase that he had brought with him. He opened it, revealing his forensic kit. Kanji, Yosuke, and Naoto watched as Light put on a pair of rubber gloves and started putting the empty glasses, including the ice cubes, into large plastic bags. "Something wrong?," Yosuke asked. Light nodded. "Something is very wrong."

* * *

The next day, Light was back in Inaba at the police department's forensics lab. The lab tech finished his analysis of the glasses Light had brought into the lab. "Looks like you may have been on to something," the lab tech said, "The glasses and drinks had traces of alcohol in them. Pretty weird since the club you were at is no longer serving those kinds of drinks. But the ice cubes, and here's the real weird part, were made of frozen vodka." Light gasped. "Vodka? That's impossible. Even eighty-proof vodka takes a temperature of minus twenty-six point ninety-five degrees Celsius to freeze. Ordinary freezers don't get that cold."

The lab tech looked at him and said, "Maybe an ordinary freezer doesn't get that cold, but here at the lab and at the school are special freezers designed to preserve chemical samples. They can get as cold as minus eighty-six degrees Celsius, more than cold enough for the job." Light put a hand on his chin. "So whoever did this had access to one of the lab freezers. It can't have been a student, they wouldn't have been able to slip in the frozen vodka cubes without getting caught. Could we really be dealing with someone in the police force? And more importantly, is this incident in any way connected to our killer?"

* * *

Naoto, meanwhile, had gotten a hold of Light's notes regarding the murder investigation. _'You always seem to be one step ahead of me Light, and two steps ahead of the killer. Already you've saved three out of the five victims. I wonder what would have happened if you've been here earlier.'_ Looking through the notes, Naoto saw something that peaked his interest. "Well, well. So you've come to believe that the killer chooses his victims randomly by watching the news. If that's the case, then maybe I can finally pull ahead in all this." Naoto put the notes back where he found them. _'My plan is a bit risky, if not downright dangerous. But the killer isn't going to make a move on his own since we have Kubo, his little scapegoat, in custody. In order to move the case forward, I have no choice to take drastic measures.'_

**Next time: **Naoto pulls out a bold move and baits the killer using a media broadcast. Light thinks this plan is suicidal, and sure enough Naoto winds up on the Midnight Channel. With Rise's help finding Naoto proves easier, but Naoto's shadow proves tough. Not to mention it knows a little secret about Naoto that shocks the whole gang...

**Next chapter: Temperance**

**I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. If you liked it too, then send me reviews.**


	15. Chapter 15: Temperance

**Up until the point where Naoto's shadow appears, I will still be referring to Naoto in the same manner as always. But after that, I will be referring to Naoto in a different manner.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or Death Note. (You'd be surprised how easy it is to run out of ways to say that.)**

**Last time: **To celebrate their capture of Mitsuo Kubo, the gang celebrated with a friendly cook-off with Nanako as the judge. Each team made a surprisingly delightful omelet with Yu and Yukiko's being deemed the best. The gang was soon surprised to find Naoto had transferred to their high school. Later the students of Yasogami High School went on their school field trip to Tatsumi Port Island, followed soon after by Light and Teddie. After a quick trip through Gekkoukan High, the gang decided to relax at a local club Rise once had an interrupted performance at. While there, they ran into Naoto and invited him to join them. But the drinks that they ordered had a weird effect on Teddie, Yukiko, Rise, and even Yu. After a crazy round of King's Game, Light grew suspicious when he learned the club didn't even serve alcoholic drinks. A quick trip to the lab showed the ice in their drinks was made of frozen vodka, opening up the possibility that someone from the police was involved. Meanwhile, Naoto had gotten hold of Light's case notes and was planning to make use of the information he got from them.

Chapter 15: Temperance

Light walked to the police station that evening to find a surprise. Outside was a large media crew from various TV stations across Japan. Light even recognized Hitoshi Demegawa from Sakura TV. "Hey Light," came Dojima's voice. Light turned to see him waving to follow. "What's going on?," Light asked. Dojima looked over to the media crew. "It's all Naoto's idea. He got a hold of your case notes and learned of your theory about the killer getting ideas for his next victim from the news. So he's contacted all the news channels he could think of to make sure he gets noticed, and just to be safe he wants all police other than himself to stay out of the cameras." Light closed his eyes and frowned. "So he's baiting the killer. That's a risky move. I'd better tell Yu about this." He took out his cell phone.

* * *

Yu got the call from Light at Dojima's house. 'Better turn on the news,' Light said, 'Naoto's taking desperate action.' Yu turned on the TV to see Naoto's face. _"I realize that a suspect in the killings that occurred last April has been arrested, however we have reason to believe he may in fact be a copycat and not the real killer. Rest assured, the case is still open and I and the rest of the Inaba police are working as hard as we can to find and capture the real killer. In the meantime I would ask all civilians to keep watch for anything suspicious and not open your doors to anyone you do not know."_ Yu stared at the TV. "Is that all there is to this? It sounds like he's trying to reassure the people of Inaba."

'There's a bigger plan at work than that,' Light said, 'Naoto got a hold of my case notes and knows about the killer using the news to pick his next victims. There are news crews from almost every media station in Japan.' Yu flipped through the news channels and saw Light was right. "He's baiting the killer!," Yu realized, "Is he crazy?! What does he hope to gain from this?" 'You remember how he called me a rival back in the club?,' Light asked, 'He's doing whatever it takes to solve this case before I can. Yukiko was right, Naoto does see this as just some kind of game.' Yu agreed and said, "It's gonna rain tonight. We should check the Midnight Channel just in case." He hung up his cell phone. _'What on earth are you thinking Naoto? You don't even realize the danger you're about to put yourself into.'_

* * *

Light came out of the empty interrogation room shortly after midnight. As expected, Naoto's silhouette was seen on the Midnight Channel. He decided to pay Naoto's house a visit to see if he could possibly talk Naoto out of this crazy plan. The Shirogane estate was perhaps the largest house in all of Inaba. Light knocked on the door and was soon shown in by a family servant. "Mr. Light Yagami to see you sir," the servant said to Yoshi, Naoto's grandfather. Light looked at the old man, still strong even after so many years of life. "It's good to see you again Light," Yoshi said, "I suspect you are here to see Naoto. I heard about his plan." Light nodded. "It's too reckless, not to mention far beyond anything you had taught him." Yoshi sighed. "I only taught my son Renji, and he passed away long before he could pass the secrets of our family to Naoto. If you must blame someone for this, blame L. This is more his style of detective work." Light chuckled to himself. _'Well, he's got me there...'_

"Is someone here grandfather?," came Naoto's voice. Light looked to where Naoto was sticking his head out from the nearby door, and was surprised to see him duck back inside. "Why are you here Light? If you're trying to talk me out of this, forget it." Light sighed. "What you're doing is very dangerous. You have no idea the full extent of the killer's MO. You may have read through my case notes, but there is a lot I left out." "Hmph," Naoto said, "I've already prepared myself for whatever the killer has in store for me. Besides, if things go wrong you and your friends will just come after me, right? That's what you've always done before now." Light breathed a heavy sigh. Clearly he wasn't getting through to Naoto. "Fine then. But I suggest you take a good hard look at the problems in your life before they're forced upon you." And with that, he walked out of the house.

* * *

The next day the gang was back at Junes listening to Light tell them what happened. "So he wouldn't even listen to you?," Yukiko asked him. Light nodded. "He seems to be obsessed with carrying out his family's legacy. I've told you about him already. He's nothing short of a workaholic, and I'm afraid it's impaired his ability to reason. Even I take breaks regularly when I'm studying or working." "Still," Rise said, "It does sound like Naoto is counting on us in case something goes wrong with his plan. Maybe on some level he's hoping we'll be there for him before it's too late." The gang all nodded. "Though I personally think the kid needs saving in more ways than one," Yosuke said, "I just hope Naoto doesn't have too many problems. These shadows have been getting stronger with each new victim."

* * *

It was raining again that night. As Yu waited for the Midnight Channel, he couldn't help but worry about Naoto. Everyone was worried, even Light. As the Midnight Channel came on, Yu saw what looked like Naoto wearing a white lab coat over his usual blue jacket. _"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Tonight I, the great detective Naoto Shirogane, will undergo a radical but necessary body alteration process. Bear witness to this event as I become something you will hardly believe."_ The screen went dark. "Well," Yu said quietly to himself, "One thing that's not radical is that program. It's actually pretty tame compared to the other ones we've seen. Still, what exactly is this 'body altering operation'. Then again, I'd prefer not to have to find out."

* * *

The gang wasted no time heading into the TV world the next day. Yukiko and Kanji were still a little bummed that their programs had been a little stranger than Naoto's. Rise however was too busy trying to find the young detective. "I figured a program like that might occur," Light said, "This is why the whole police force sees Naoto as a child. He works so hard, almost non-stop, at solving whatever case he's given. Everyone just sees it as a little kid trying to walk in his father's footsteps." Just then, Rise conjured up the map of the TV world. There was a new addition, right where Light remembered the Shirogane estate being. "It's looks like some sort of military bunker," Yosuke said, "Must be because of Naoto's workaholic nature." Yu nodded. "Let's hurry, I got a look at the equipment the shadow was using in the background, and I doubt anyone could survive a procedure from that."

* * *

Naoto awoke and groaned as he got up. It looked like he was in an underground military base. "Okay," he said to himself, "I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this. What is this place? I highly doubt the killer would have to use such sophisticated... Huh?" Upon closer inspection of the equipment, Naoto saw that everything looked as it would on a child's toy. "SUBJECT N-4-0-T-0 READY FOR EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE," came a voice over the intercom. Naoto was surprised. "Procedure? Procedure for who?" Naoto soon got his answer when a set of mechanical hands came out of the walls. Before Naoto could react the hands grabbed him and dragged him deeper into the base. _'This isn't good,'_ Naoto thought, _'I hope Light and his team can find me.'_

* * *

"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!" The intercom was blaring the same thing over and over as the gang hurried through the base. One of the doors on the fourth-floor basement was locked, so they had to go down to a subsection of the sixth-floor basement to find the key. Upon grabbing it, a red alert was raised and the whole laboratory seemed to flood with shadows. "This is getting crazy!," Teddie said, "How many shadows are there in this base?!" "Only about six per floor," Rise said, "But there are nine floors." They finally got to the locked door back on the fourth-floor basement. Rise scanned beyond it first. "Be careful, the guardian shadow is through there." Yu nodded and unlocked the door.

"WARNING! BREACH IN SECTOR TWELVE! DEPLOYING DOMINATING MACHINE!," came the voice from the intercom. A platform lowered from the ceiling, revealing a giant red humanoid robot. "I don't believe it," Yu said, "It's the X-095 model robot. The one me and Light were making a few months ago." The giant robot swung it's sword to smash the group, but they scattered and drew their weapons. The Dominating Machine fired laser from its eyes, but Yosuke called out, "Sukukaja!" Moving faster than the machine could track, Yosuke drew its fire while Yukiko delivered a fierce blow to the back of the machines head.

"Time to freeze that robot's circuits," Teddie said, "Bufula!" Kintoki-Douji opened the boiler door on his belly and fired out a freezing gust of wind. The robot was frozen to the spot in an instant. Kanji rushed at the machine and delivered a killer blow with his folding chair, shattering the ice and knocking the machine on its back. "Kill Rush!" Take-Mikazuchi slammed his fist into the giant robot, smashing all the way through it leaving a massive hole. The machine's inner circuitry sparked a bit before the robot exploded altogether. "Well," Light said, "That was... Overly dramatic. Anyway, let's go find Naoto."

* * *

Naoto found himself being held against a wall by the two mechanical arms that had grabbed him earlier. He looked around and saw that he was in what looked like a mad scientist's lab, complete with an operating table with two giant buzz-saws suspended overhead. "_'Ah, you have awakened,'_" came a voice that was similar to his own. The figured that appeared looked just like him, only wearing an oversized lab coat and a pair of thick circular glasses. "_'We are ready to begin the body altering procedure for today. Unfortunately we recently ran out of anesthetics, so this may be a bit painful.'_"

"From the looks of those buzz-saws, a bit seems like an understatement," came a familiar voice. Naoto turned to the nearby door. "Was that... Kanji Tatsumi?" Sure enough, Kanji came smashing through the door followed by the rest of Light's gang. "You do realize we had a key right?," Chie said rhetorically. Kanji just shrugged. Light walked in front of Naoto. "I was expecting you to come here," Naoto said, noticing Light's naginata, "But I didn't think you'd be armed." Light chuckled and cut Naoto off the wall. "You didn't really think we'd come to a place this dangerous and not come armed, did you?"

"_'I see our intruders have managed to bypass the security up till now,'_" Shadow Naoto said, "_'But the procedure will proceed nevertheless.'_" "Just out of curiosity," Yukiko said, "What sort of experiment is this anyway?" The shadow chuckled. "_'Why I'm going to give my other self a brand new body. Soon Naoto, you will have the adult male body you always wanted.'_" Kanji was the first to process what the shadow just said. "Adult... Male...?" He looked over at Naoto. "You mean Naoto's... A girl?" "I thought she might be," Light said, "But I played along anyway since I wasn't too sure." Naoto blushed. "How on earth did you know that?," she said in her natural voice. The shadow chuckled. "_'Is it not obvious? You've been following Mr. Light's investigation. Or are there certain parts you couldn't bring yourself to believe, because it would be too childish to? This is why everyone sees you as just a child. You can't stand that you're a girl in a profession dominated by men. But fear not, for I will give what you have always wanted.'_"

"There's no way...," Naoto said in a low voice, "There's not... You can't..." "Oh boy," Kanji said, readying his weapon, "I think we all know what's about to happen." Sure enough, Naoto screamed out, "You... YOU CAN'T BE ME!" The shadow's glasses dropped, revealing it's yellow eyes. It smiled as the dark aura turned red engulfing it in darkness. "Great," Chie said, "Just once I'd like to save someone without having to fight their shadow." The darkness subsided, revealing the shadow's true form. It still resembled Naoto, but with the look of a robot put together with bits of scrap metal. One of its arms looked like a toy laser gun, and a pair of airplane wings stuck out from its back.

"Watch out," Rise said, "This one's got some tricky moves." The shadow eyed Rise and fired its laser at her. However, the laser simply got absorbed by an invisible shield created by Himiko. Rise smiled. "Looks like I don't have to worry about getting hurt in here." Just then, several cords shot out from the operation table and grabbed Naoto, pulling her onto it before strapping her down. "Dammit," Kanji said, and he had Take-Mikazuchi stop the buzz-saws before they could get going. "What the...?," Naoto said, "What is that?" Kanji grinned. "Let's just say Yukiko wasn't really lying when she mentioned summoning Personae." "_'Why you...,'_" the shadow said, and fired its laser again. "Hang on Kanji," Light called out, "Makarakarn!" Yoshitsune put up his energy barrier to protect Kanji from the laser blast.

"_'So you have some tricks,'_" the shadow said, "_'Let me show you some of mine.'_" It fired a radial beam from its eye. "Look out Light," Teddie yelled out as he jumped in the beam's path. Struck head on, Teddie somehow wound up aging several decades. "Oh no," Rise said, "That beam has the power to turn a person frail." Shadow Naoto kept firing wildly. Before the gang knew it, Yu and Yosuke had also been struck, turning them old as well. "You okay Teddie," Light said. Teddie nodded weakly. "Don't worry Light. I've got something that can reverse this. Kintoki-Douji, Energy Shower!" Kintoki-Douji started spinning on its back in mid-air, his boiler door open and spraying a rainbow shower over the gang. Yu, Teddie, and Yosuke were soon back to their younger selves.

"Time to get rid of that eye," Yosuke said, and he threw one of his kunai in at the shadow. Before the shadow could even aim at it, its eye was shattered. Now blind, it kept firing its laser blindly. By accident, it wound up hitting one of the generators causing it to go critical. "Time to get out of here," Yu said, "Kanji get Naoto." Kanji nodded, and pulled off the cords holding Naoto on the table. Rushing her out of there on his back, he followed the rest of the gang out of the base before it exploded from a chain reaction. When it was safe to catch their breath, Rise checked around for the shadow. "Oh," she said, "I think it's over." The shadow had been caught in the blast and was back to its original form as Naoto's doppelganger.

"Well then," Light said to Naoto, "What now?" Naoto smiled. "I guess... I didn't take your advice as well as I thought. But the thing is, it was never about me wanting to be an adult male. It was about me wanting to be a cool detective. That day you showed up to tell my grandfather that my parents' murderer was captured, I realized how cool you looked. And I wanted to be just like that. That's why I started dressing as a boy, because otherwise I was afraid no one would take me seriously. But I guess in the end, I was just fooling myself more than anyone else." "I don't know," Light said, "You did have the police department fooled. I think I was the only one who suspected you were a girl." Naoto giggled, then saw her shadow had gotten up and was smiling.

"_'I really want to become a cool detective someday.'_" Naoto nodded. "But it looks like in order to do that, I still have some growing up to do. Isn't that right, my other self? You are me, and I am you." The shadow nodded happily as it was engulfed in bright blue light, turning into a blue humanoid insect. The creature had moth-like wings and Naoto's suit. Turning into a card with the symbol for Fortune, it fell into Naoto's hand. "So this is my Persona. Sukuna-Hikona." She looked at the sky. "Looks like everything I knew about this case got turned on its head." She smiled at the gang. "But I do know now that it's impossible to solve this alone." Light chuckled. "I was wondering when you'd come to your senses."

* * *

Later at Junes, Naoto was going over the events that preceded her arrival in the TV world. It seemed she was able to remember a bit more than the others. "After the doorbell rang, I answered it. There was no one there, but when I turned around I was suddenly rendered unconscious." "Chloroform no doubt," Light said, "That's been a theory of mine from the beginning." Naoto nodded. "I was mentally prepared for it and was able to retain enough consciousness to be aware of my surroundings, but little else. I was placed into a bag and slung over the culprit's shoulder. From this, I can deduce that it was an adult male. Judging from the fact that he never talked or gave signals, I'd imagine he works alone. Shortly after this event, I felt a hard impact. I'd say this was the point when he threw me into the TV. What struck me as odd at the time was how quickly the event occurred, a matter of mere minutes."

"You seem way too calm about this," Kanji said. Light could tell he was coming to grips with the fact that Naoto was a girl. Naoto blushed. "Well the truth is, at the time I was really terrified. It's a little embarrassing to admit, but I knew you guys would soon be coming after me. In fact, I was practically relying on it. I never expected my biggest secret would get revealed in such a manner." The gang had a good laugh, then Teddie brought out a new pair of glasses for Naoto. "It seems you're gonna be joining us now, so these are for you." Naoto looked at the glasses. "I remember seeing you all wear these glasses, but what exactly are they for." "They're for seeing in the TV world," Yu said, "You must have noticed how foggy it is in there. The glasses help us see through the fog. Teddie makes them himself by copying the lenses of his eyes."

"That reminds me," Naoto said, "Light mentioned Teddie was anxious to find out more about himself. I must confess I'm a little a curious about that myself, so I've arranged to have him get a physical. In fact, we're each going to getting one. Considering the nature of the TV world, I think it best to check that there are no long-term complications from staying in there." Light nodded. "Anyway, I'd say you're now satisfied in thinking Kubo was just a copycat." Naoto nodded. "Not only that, but I think I've now solved the mystery of how the first two victims wound up as they did. It may have something to do with them dying while in the TV world." Light put a hand to his chin. "Come to think about, I ran into Saki Konishi shortly after I got my Persona. She had already been attacked by her shadow, and disappeared shortly after that. That must have been when she reappeared in the real world."

* * *

The next day the gang each got their physicals. Everything went pretty smoothly, with the doctors noting no real problems with them. In one of the waiting rooms, the gang was sitting around a couple tables. "Well," Naoto said, "It seems we've found something out about Teddie." Teddie looked excited. "Really? What?" Naoto held up Teddie's x-ray, which for some reason didn't show a skeleton. "We've found out we know almost nothing about Teddie. I even had them retake the x-ray several times just in case these results were because of machine failure." Teddie didn't seem to mind. "I'm not sure the answers will be in some machine anyway. Oh yeah, since I was gonna be exposed, I decided the rest of us should have the same done to them." He pulled out a series of papers. "Here they are, the results of all our tests."

"Uh...," Chie said, "What are you gonna do with those?" Teddie grinned. "Well, for starters, I'm gonna mention all the girls' measurements." Rise looked nonchalant. "That's fine. My measurements are already in all fan magazines. Oh, except my breasts are actually two centimeters smaller than advertised. Little stunt by the corporation for whatever reason." Chie looked at the test results. "Oh man, I'm the smallest cup-size here." She thought about that for a second. "Wait a minute..." She grabbed the papers and looked through them. "Hold on. Naoto... Is this right?" "Huh?," Naoto said, suddenly blushing. Thinking quickly, she grabbed the papers out of Chie's hands. "A-Anyway the important thing is nothing is wrong with us so..." She ran out the door with the rest of the girls and Teddie behind her.

Noting Kanji was staring back at Naoto, Yu asked, "You curious about Naoto's bust size?" Kanji blushed and blurted out, "No way man!" Light chuckled. "Something tells me you feel vindicated in finding out that Naoto's a girl." "Yeah, I'll admit that much," Kanji said, "I still find myself attracted to her. I don't know, maybe all along I thought she might really have been a girl." He looked out the window. "These past few months, I've really improved as a person. It's just like Light said, I can't go around letting people think what they want. I need to start taking responsibility." Light smiled. _'Nine of us against a dangerous killer. And he'll be none too happy that he's been foiled yet again.'_

* * *

The mysterious figure sat at a desk while in front of a computer. The fog had come and gone and still no victim. This was getting out of hand. "I know who it must be. I know who they are. My plans won't work if no one dies." On the computer screen were pictures of Light Yagami and his friends. The figure looked at the pictures of Yukiko, Kanji, Rise, and Naoto. "These people should be dead. I know for a fact that world inside the TV is fatal to normal people. I need to put a stop to this. But how?" The figure thought for a minute, then started typing on the keyboard. On the screen came the words, "Don't save anyone else."

**Next time:** Light has been making several friends, both in and out of the gang, for the purpose of improving his social bonds to help in solving the mystery in Inaba. Now, between a lonely middle school student, a seductive nurse, a old woman in mourning, and a mother out of touch with her child, Yu will have plenty of opportunities to make new bonds. And soon he will understand the true nature of the fox that guards the Inaba shrine...

**Next chapter: Devil**

**So yeah, from this point on Naoto will be referred to as a female. Fans of Persona 4 will not be surprised by this. Anyway send reviews.**


	16. Chapter 16: Devil

**This current chapter includes references to "Naruto and the Secret Rings" by NeoKenshin. Please note that permission to reference that story was obtained beforehand. I would also recommend you read that story as well, not only because it is an AWESOME story, but it will also help you understand the reference.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or Death Note**

**Last time:** Having learned about the killer using the news to pick his victims, Naoto organizes a media event to bait the killer. Light grows concerned and tries to talk Naoto out of it, but the next Midnight Channel program shows his efforts are in vain. When the gang confronts Naoto's shadow, they learn about Naoto being a girl pretending to be a boy for the sake of being a "cool detective". Naoto is still able to accept her shadow, and gains her own Persona known as Sukuna-Hikona. Later Naoto has the gang go through a physical checkup for the purpose of trying to find out more about Teddie, but to no avail as Teddie's x-ray is nearly blank. In the meantime, the killer makes plans to send a certain message to the gang.

Chapter 16: Devil

At the Dojima household, Yu took out the key to the Velvet Room and placed it in the keyhole of his closet. So far his group consisted of nine people, but Igor had mentioned there would be a total of ten. Yu decided to enter the Velvet Room to see if he couldn't get some sort of clue as the final member of the team. But when he entered the Velvet Room, Igor was absent. However, Margaret was still there. An attractive young blonde, Margaret was always present in the Velvet Room, giving advice alongside her master. "Oh," she said when she saw Yu, "I'm very sorry, but the master is out right now. However since you're already here..." She cleared her throat.

"Hello and welcome to the Velvet Room." Margaret giggled. "I've always wanted to say that." Yu smiled nervously. "Sorry about the bad timing," he said, "But I was wondering what information you might have on the last team member." Margaret nodded. "She's already in the town you're staying in. However, you will not meet her until after you have unmasked the one responsible for the deaths in this mystery." Yu seemed confused. "Why would I need her after the mystery is solved?" "To solve the mystery and to catch the killer are two different things," Margaret said, "Additionally, I foresee you will add new Social Links to your repertoire. I'm starting to get jealous at how many friends you're making."

"Looks like I may have made one more," Yu said, noticing another Arcana card form near Margaret. "Ah," she said, "So your coming here was fate, and not an accident. I wonder what my sister would think if she knew of this." "Sister?," Yu asked. Margaret nodded. "She served Master Igor before me, but left after the Dark Hour incident two years ago. I was always curious why, as she only mentioned wanting to understand the power of the Wild Card. You see, you are not the first person to use this power. However, I believe you may have the potential to master it. Already the bonds you form with your friends grow stronger with each passing day, and soon you will have enough power to confront the true evil behind this mystery."

* * *

That same day, Nanako was walking home from school. It was a particularly rainy day, so Nanako had her favorite umbrella out. As she passed by the shrine, she saw a reddish-brown fox near the entrance. She didn't know it, but it was the same fox that her cousin had been helping a few months ago. Since Nanako didn't have the same connection to the spiritual energy of the shrine, she couldn't see the fox's extra tails. "Hello there," she said, "Are you caught out in the rain?" The fox whimpered a little. Nanako giggled and placed the umbrella over the fox. "Take good care of that. It's my favorite Loveline umbrella." Nanako walked off as the fox gave a contented bark. However, a few minutes later a fierce wind blew the umbrella into the street where it was run over by a passing car. The fox whimpered sadly.

* * *

After the rain cleared up, Yu returned to the shrine to see if anyone new had left requests. It had been some time since he had helped the fox gain its eighth tail, and Yu through one more request would do the trick. When he got to the shrine, he saw the fox had an umbrella tag in its mouth. Next to it was Nanako's umbrella, completely broken. "I was wondering why she came home soaking wet," Yu said, "Did she gave it you?" The fox nodded its head. Yu thought about how he could come up with the money to get Nanako a new umbrella. Loveline umbrellas were hardly in short supply, but they were very expensive. "I guess I'll have to get a part time job." The fox perked up its ears and grabbed one of the emas from the shrine.

"What's this one?," Yu said, "I wish I could get into a good high school. Sounds desperate." He looked at the fox. "You know who this is, don't you?" The fox nodded, and pointed across the street. A sign on a billboard had three openings for part-time jobs. One was as a janitor at the hospital, another was as a worker at a day-care center, the third was a private tutor. _'I see. The kid who wrote this must be the one who needs private tutoring. Well, I do need enough money for that umbrella. And judging from these schedules, I can easily make all of them.'_ Yu picked up the numbers for all the jobs and started dialing them one-by-one on his cell phone.

* * *

That night, Yu went off to his tutoring job. The young boy he was to tutor was a middle school student named Shu Nakajima, and he almost reminded Yu of a younger Light except for the darker hair and glasses. "Thanks for taking this job," Shu said, "Cram school wasn't cutting it, so my mom suggested I get a private tutor." Yu nodded. "No problem. Helping people is something I'm good at, and I need the money to by my cousin a new umbrella anyway. So anyway, let's take a look at your current assignment." Being as smart as he was, it was easy for Yu to help Shu understand the work he was assigned. Afterward, since there was some time left, the two of them sat at a nearby table.

"I've really been feeling the pressure from my mom lately," Shu confessed, "She wants me to be the best at everything. I want to succeed just like any other student, but I always find it hard to focus in class." "Maybe you should ask some of your friends to help you study," Yu suggested. Shu looked down. "I don't really have any friends. I've been too busy, and everyone else ignores me. Then again, after what happened earlier in school today, I would avoid me too." Yu looked concerned. "What happened?" "There was a new transfer student," Shu explained, "He did everything better than me. I got so jealous I actually insulted him, saying outsiders had no place in my school. Everyone got mad at that."

"Seems almost everyone in this town hates outsiders," Yu said, "But it's not a good thing to go insulting people out of jealousy. I think if you want to repair your standing with the other students, a good start would be apologizing. And really mean it too, otherwise they won't accept it. And remember, there is a difference between natural and talented." Shu nodded, then looked at the clock. "Oh, looks like our time is up. Thanks for the talk Mr. Narukami, I'll be sure to remember it." Yu nodded and headed home. _'It may take some time to make Shu's request come true, but this may help get on his way.'_

* * *

Nanako called Naoto and Light the next day. She was concerned about Yu going out late last night. Of course, Yu hadn't told her about her umbrella being destroyed, or that he was taking several part-time jobs to get the money to buy a replacement. "What do you think Narukami was doing last night?," Naoto asked Light. Light shrugged his shoulders. "This is a bit out of Yu's character. Then again, he has been known to take on extra activities for various reasons. Maybe he simply took on a part-time job or something." "Whatever the case may be, we three great detectives will be there to solve it!," came Nanako's voice. Naoto and Light turned to see Nanako and giggled.

"What's with the costume?," Naoto asked. Nanako was dressed up in a pink cape and deerstalker cap, carrying a magnifying glass with little wings below the lens and a crown on top. "Isn't it obvious?," Nanako said, "I'm the great detective Loveline! I'm here to solve the case for the sake of love!" Light smiled nervously. "It's that popular kid's anime about this detective girl who tries to help a boy she likes who seems to have gotten into some trouble with the law. But I highly doubt Yu's in that kind of position." "Maybe," Nanako said, "But something's up with Big Bro, so we need to find out what's going on. Come on, let's hurry." She grabbed Light's hand and dragged him along, Naoto following.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yu was at his second part-time job as janitor at the hospital. As he moved through the halls, mopping as he went along, he suddenly heard an old woman gasp. Yu looked over to see the poor woman had suddenly fainted. Looking around, Yu saw a young nurse with her hair in a short ponytail. He quickly called her over and they got the old woman to a room to recover. "She simply had a bad fright," the nurse said, "After some rest she'll be okay to leave." She turned to Yu. "It was very considerate of you to get help for this woman. I like that. Oh, but silly me, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Sayoko Uehara." She was just as flirtatious as Kashiwaga, only less creepy because she was younger.

"You're pretty cute," Sayoko said, rubbing her hand gently under Yu's chin, "What say we do something later?" Yu simply walked out the door saying, "Sorry, I have to get back to work." Sayoko just shrugged as he closed the door. She ran into Yu later however, after his shift was over. "You really should loosen up a little," she said, "Or, am I not your type?" Yu shook his head. "It's not that. But I'm not really into older woman." Sayoko looked disappointed, but understood. "I suppose that's to be expected. I've had my share of rejection, but just as many successes." "Is it really appropriate for a nurse to be so flirtatious?," Yu asked.

"Well," Sayoko said, starting to look sad, "I'm actually afraid of being left alone. It started when I was at a different hospital. There was one young boy I was working with who was ill, but seemed to be recovering. If you can believe it, he actually asked me to marry him when he got older. I told him I'd think about it, but I never got the chance to tell him my answer. It turned out his illness was terminal, and he wound up dying the next day. Since then I've been acting the way I do now hoping I won't be left alone again." She reached into her pocket. "I still have the boy's picture." Yu gasped when he saw the picture. It looked just like a younger version of Teddie's human form. He even had a toy version of Teddie's bear suit. Thinking for a bit, Yu said, "Well, maybe one date wouldn't hurt. But only one." Sayoko smiled.

* * *

Nanako, Naoto, and Light were walking down to the flood plains. It had been hours, and no sign of Yu. Naoto checked her watch. "We keep this up any longer and we might as well call police backup." "Let's not involve real police if we can help it," Light said, "Don't forget Nanako's father is a detective too." Suddenly they heard a young woman giggling, followed by someone saying, "Hey, don't pull so hard. You'll rip my arm off." Naoto turned her head. "That sounded like Narukami." Light and Nanako turned to where Naoto was looking and saw Yu being led by the arm by a young woman in her twenties. Yu and Sayoko didn't see the three detectives and simply headed off into town. Nanako looked a little shocked. "I didn't know Yu was into older women," Naoto said. Light shook his head. "He's not. He's probably in the middle of helping that young woman. Come to think about it she looks familiar." He thought for a second. "Oh yeah, she was one of the nurses at the hospital. I've seen her once or twice, and she came off as rather flirtatious. I wonder why Narukami is with her..."

* * *

The next day saw Yu at his third part-job at the day-care center. The kids were all particularly rowdy and practically tugged Yu in every direction possible. _'I'm starting to see why parents leave their kids here during the day,'_ he thought. He noticed two of the kids arguing with each other. "There's no way Yuuta," one of the kids said, "Loveline's just a cartoon character." The other boy, a brown-haired kid who looked to be about Nanako's age, had a sad look on his face. "I did see Loveline. She had the cape and hat and everything. And she was walking with two other detectives, one with a brown coat and the other with a blue coat. It was just like on TV." _'A brown coat and a blue coat?,'_ Yu thought, _'Light and Naoto? What were they doing together?'_

Suddenly the social worker at the day-care center called out, "Yuuta, your mother's here." Yuuta started to look really depressed. Yu saw a woman in her mid-thirties walk up to Yuuta. She had light-brown hair tied off at the neck, and she was wearing a simple dress suit. "Oh," she said when she saw Yu, "Hello there. My name is Eri Minami. I didn't know this center had any new workers." "I just started," Yu said. Eri smiled. "I hope Yuuta hasn't been too much of a hassle." Yu chuckled nervously. "Not... Too bad..." That only served to make Eri feel depressed. She and Yu sat down at one of the benches nearby.

"Actually," Eri said, "Yuuta isn't my son by birth. His real mother died shortly after he was born. Years later his father and I met and we soon were married. I've been trying my best to act as a real mother should, but his father is out of town on business and won't be back for some time. It's been hard. As of late I've been trying some tips I found in certain magazines." _'Why does that sound familiar?,'_ Yu thought, remembering the situation with Ai. "In my experience, magazines don't always have the answers you're looking for." Eri turned him, confused. "You're not gonna find the answers on some printed page," Yu said, "You just need to find a way to connect with Yuuta. Deep down, I'm sure he sees you as his mother. After all, he never got a chance to know his real mother." Eri smiled. "Thank you. I'll certainly try."

* * *

Meanwhile, Nanako had convinced Kanji, Teddie, and Yosuke to join her, Naoto and Light. They were a little concerned about Yu's behavior as of late. "Maybe this has something to with Nanako's missing umbrella," Yosuke suggested. Nanako frowned at him. "It's not missing, I lent it to the fox in front of the shrine." The others just stared at her. Kanji, Naoto, Rise, and Teddie had all been told about the mysterious fox that acted as the spirit of the shrine. And they were also able to see all the extra tails the fox had. "Nanako," Naoto said, "Did this fox seem... Strange to you?" Nanako shook her head. "Why would it?" _'I suppose since Nanako isn't a Persona user, she wouldn't see the fox's extra tails,'_ Light thought.

"Oh," Teddie said, "I think I smell sensei." They ran to some nearby bushes and saw Yu sitting next to a middle-aged woman who looked to be in her thirties. "It's just like you guys said," Kanji said, "Yu's been hanging out with an older woman." Nanako took a peek. "That's not the woman we saw though." "WHAT?!," Kanji, Teddie, and Yosuke said simultaneously. Naoto took another look and saw a young kid walk up to the woman. "Huh," she said, "Seems Yu's new friend is a mother." "YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING!," Kanji, Teddie, and Yosuke yelled at once. Yu must have heard all the yelling, because he turned to look near the bushes they were hiding in. "Let's get out of here," Yosuke said as he, Kanji, and Teddie took off running. Naoto looked over at Light, who just shrugged his shoulders.

* * *

Later that day Yu was taking a rest at the flood plains. "Working with those kids sure was back-breaking work, but it sure was worth it." Suddenly a voice from behind him said, "Oh, you're that young man from the other day." Yu turned around and recognized the old woman who had fainted in the hospital. She was dressed from head to toe in black, as if in mourning. She was hunched over on her cane, and her hair was pure white. "My apologies for the scare," she said, "But you look so much like my late husband when he was younger I thought I saw a ghost. Oh, but where are my manners. I am Hisano Kuroda." She walked over next to Yu.

"I remember the day I first met my husband," she said, "He was part of traveling carnival. We only got to see each other once a year. Oh but the time we did spend together was very special to me. Well one year, he finally decided he couldn't keep waiting. He quit the carnival and proposed to me then and there. I was so shocked all I could manage was to squeak out 'yes' before fainting." "Sounds like you really loved each other," Yu said. Hisano nodded. "Of course, my husband had to get a new job after that. Luckily it was easier than he thought, but the job he took was very demanding. He was always able to make time for me though. However, as we grew older exhaustion took its toll. Soon he began to lose his memory, and took ill. I couldn't bear to see him suffer like that, and wished he would die so the pain would end. But when it finally happened, well, I instantly regretted it."

* * *

Nanako had convinced all of Yu's friends, now including Chie, Rise, and Yukiko, to follow her in finding out what he was up to. They soon saw him as they were walking down the flood plains, standing next to an elderly woman. "That can't be the woman from yesterday," Rise said, "Didn't you say she was a mother because there was a little kid with her?" Nanako nodded. "This is weird. Every woman we've seen him with has been older than the last." Suddenly, the old woman threw something into the river, where a big fish appeared and seemed to swallow it. "That looked like a decorative comb," Kanji said, "My ma carries some of those in her shop." Naoto put a hand to her chin. "Why would she throw something like that away?"

* * *

"Why would you throw something so important away?," Yu asked, "Didn't you say your husband gave it you?" Hisano nodded. "But it reminds me too much of him. I'm sure he'd hate me for wishing death upon him, so it would be better if I forgot everything about him. Yu, if you should ever fall in love, do not become Death. It will only break your heart." And with that, she walked off. _'Maybe,'_ Yu thought, _'But a heart that is broken can always be repaired. All I need is to find a way to catch that giant fish.'_ He turned around, and caught a glimpse of the girls running away. "What was that about? Have the others been following me?"

* * *

'So that's what you've been up to,' Light said over the phone the next day, 'I guess that all makes sense.' Yu had decided to tell the others about the events that had occurred up to that point. "I still can't believe Nanako was dressed as Loveline," Yu said, "By the way, I'd appreciate it if she not find out about the umbrella." 'Don't worry. If she does find out, it won't be from me.' After Light hung up, Yu noticed a shopping program. _"Hello there. This is Great Salesman Tananka with this weeks hot new item. This fantastic Wonder Fishing Rod is guaranteed to never break. With a reinforced oak shaft and poly-nylon fishing line, you'll be catching enough fish to feed twelve families. Order now and get this complementary fishing gear free of charge. Only 3000 yen for this hot item, with free shipping for the first fifteen callers."_ "That's just what I need," Yu said, and he called right away.

* * *

Between the tutoring, janitorial work, and day-care center, Yu had more than enough yen to buy the fishing set. He now stood at the dock at the end of the flood plains, fishing rod in hand. The fishing rod had proved just as durable as advertised, but Yu still had not managed to catch the fish he was looking for. Breathing heavily, he made one final cast and almost immediately felt a big tug. Pulling as hard as he could, he successfully pulled the big fish out of the river. He soon saw that the fish hadn't swallowed the comb, just gotten it caught in the dorsal fin. With the big fish flopping on the dock, Yu retrieved the comb with a big smile on his face.

"Unbelievable!," came an old man's voice, "That's the legendary River Guardian!" "River Guardian?," Yu said in surprise. The old man nodded. "Don't worry, it's just an ordinary fish. But people started calling it the River Guardian because of how big it is. I saw it once years ago when I was younger, and have been coming here ever since to get another glimpse. Eventually I a left request at the shrine to see it again. And now my dream has come true. Many people have come down here hoping to catch a glimpse of this fish, but you may be the first person ever to successfully reel it in. Good job young man. Well now, I'd better leave an offering at the shrine." Yu smiled, knowing the fox at the shrine would likely have its final tail. Putting the comb in his pocket, Yu pushed the River Guardian back into the river.

* * *

That night a carnival was being held at the shrine grounds. Yu was amazed to see the shrine now refurbished with a golden hue. The spiritual energy surrounding the place never felt stronger. Yu still had Hisano's comb with him, and also had a present to give to Shu. Since everyone in Inaba came to see the carnival, he knew he would see them sooner or later. Sure enough, he soon caught sight of Shu and his mother. They seemed to be very happy. "Oh," Shu said, "Hey Mr. Narukami." Yu smiled at him. "Seems things have been going well." Shu nodded and said, "I found a way to apologize to the exchange student, and we soon became good friends. After that I spoke to my mom about how trying to be number one all the time was affecting me, and she agreed to lower her expectations a little."

"Sounds like you've earned this," Yu said, and he presented Shu with the present he selected. It was a game meant to be played by several people. "This should help you make even more friends." Shu nodded and ran off to show his mother. As Yu strolled through the festival grounds looking for Hisano, he overheard a pair of women arguing over something. Suddenly there came a slap, a sound of something hitting a wooden pole, and a cry of, "Mama! Mama!" Yu quickly recognized Yuuta's voice. Turning to the sound of the disturbance, he saw Eri lying on the ground bleeding from the head. As luck would have it, he also saw Sayoko nearby.

Quickly grabbing Sayoko by the arm, he said, "This woman needs help right away." Seeing the injury, Sayoko's demeanor quickly became more professional. "We need something to wrap around her head to stop the bleeding." Yu looked around, and quickly saw Ai and Kou walking nearby. Seeing Ai was wearing a colored scarf, he called out, "Ai, Kou, great timing. Sorry, but I need that scarf." Seeing the injured woman on the ground, Ai quickly took off her scarf and gave it to Yu. Sayoko wrapped the scarf around Eri's head, tight enough to stop the bleeding but not so tight that it would cut off circulation. "Now we need some ice to dull the pain." "This should do it," came Yumi's voice. Yu saw her standing over them holding a shaved ice without syrup. "That'll so do it," Sayoko said as took the shaved ice and carefully placed it against Eri's head.

Within minutes, Eri awoke saying, "What... Happened...?" Sayoko breathed a sigh of relief. "You've just recovered from a severe head injury. I'd suggest keeping that scarf tied up for the next couple hours, but you should be fine." Eri was soon surprised by Yuuta hugging her, crying tears of relief. As Yu smiled at a job well done, he soon caught sight of Hisano, who had stopped to see the commotion. Walking up to her, he said, "I believe this is yours." He handed Hisano the comb. As she took it, a flood of memories of happier times filled her mind. Smiling, she said, "I truly was a foolish old woman, wasn't I? How could I have forgotten the love he and I shared?" She placed the comb in her hair. "Thank you. You've made an old woman very happy."

"Hey there Narukami," came Yosuke's voice, "Glad to see you made it. Man, that was crazy what just happened. Oh yeah, you're not gonna believe what happened with the fox." He led Yu to the shrine, where the rest of the gang was. The fox was sitting near the shrine, nine tails spread out behind it. "Thanks you guys," came a male voice from out of nowhere. Light was the first one to realize, "I think that was the fox." The gang looked at the fox, who now had a wide grin on its face, eyes closed. "Now that the shrine is back in order, I have all my power back. And soon enough, I'll be able to regain my human form again."

"What's stopping you from doing that now?," Kanji asked. The fox looked at him. "There's some new force in this town blocking the natural chakra flow. You see, I was once an ordinary human. This was back when this town had a different name, and was more closed off from the outside world. I won't go into too many details, that would take too long, but I will say that I eventually became the powerful Kyuubi, and took on the role of immortal guardian of this town." "But wouldn't immortality make you lonely?," Yukiko said, "All the people you once knew growing old without you..." "Well," the Kyuubi said, "Not ALL the people." As if on cue, two female foxes came out from the shrine. One was a more crimson red, the other was lavender. They both had four tails each.

"These are my wives," the Kyuubi said, "They're linked to my chakra, so they share my immortality. A guy couldn't ask for better company. Oh yeah, that reminds me." The Kyuubi dug under the casket and brought out several coins. "Now that the shrine is back to normal, people are leaving more offerings than ever. This should help buy that nice little girl a new umbrella." Yu nodded. "Thank you." "You're welcome," the Kyuubi said, a wide grin on his face, "And keep helping all the people you can. Soon I'll be strong enough to fight back against this spiritual intruder." He extended his front paw forward. "Believe it!"

* * *

From that day forward, the lives of the people Yu had helped greatly improved. Shu was making more friends than he thought possible. Sayoko had taken some time off to rediscover why she became a nurse, and then returned more determined than ever. Eri and Yuuta became more like a true mother and son. Hisano stopped mourning over her late husband and decided to move in with her children. As Yu thought about all the people he had helped so far, he returned home with a new umbrella for Nanako. It had Nanako's umbrella tag attached so she wouldn't know it was a different one. "Oh Big Bro," she said when he walked in the door, "You brought back my umbrella. I almost forgot I gave it to that fox." She and Yu sat down for dinner. "So Big Bro," Nanako said, "What were you doing all this time?" Yu smiled, and proceeded to tell her about the people he had met.

**Next time: **Light learns that his father Soichiro has been helping Dojima solve a hit and run case from a few years ago. After learning that the victim was Dojima's wife, Light collaborates with his dad to find the person responsible. Meanwhile, Yu finds there's trouble in paradise, as it's becoming increasingly apparent that Dojima has been avoiding Nanako. Yu and Light know they have to help get this family back together fast, or it could fall apart forever...

**Next chapter: Tower**

**I would like to remind you all that the reference in this chapter was taken with permission from NeoKenshin, and neither one of us actually owns Naruto. With that in mind, send me some reviews (and NeoKenshin too while you're at it).**


	17. Chapter 17: Tower

**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or Death Note.**

**Last time: **After a trip to the Velvet Room, Yu once again visited the shrine of Inaba. The fox there had been offered Nanako's umbrella, which had then accidently been broken during a wind storm. Directing Yu to a number of part-time jobs, he soon finds four individuals with certain issues. Meanwhile, Nanako grows concerned about her cousin and enlists Light and Naoto's help in finding out what's going on. Later at a local carnival, after Yu renders aid to one of the people he's met, he and the gang learn the fox of the shrine is in fact the guardian Kyuubi. The Kyuubi mentions a strange force keeping him from using his full power, but believes if Yu keeps helping others his full power will be restored.

Chapter 17: Tower

Touta Matsuda walked through the halls of the NPA. The NPA, or National Police Agency, was similar to the American FBI with the only difference being that it had no actual police officers. Matsuda had only started working there a few years ago, and his inexperience was often quite apparent. Still he was good enough to be the immediate subordinate to Soichiro Yagami, Light's father and the Detective Superintendent of the NPA. Matsuda found Soichiro at his desk, hard at work. "What going on Chief?," Matsuda asked, "I didn't know you had any cases right now." Soichiro took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I don't. This is just something I'm doing as a favor to an old friend in my spare time."

"Really?," Matsuda said, and he took a look at the screen. "Chisato... Dojima. Hey, wasn't there a Ryotaro Dojima who used to work here?" Soichiro nodded. "He was my subordinate before you. When his daughter was born, he and his wife Chisato moved out to the country. Of course he couldn't give up being a detective and joined the local police force. Things were going well, but a few years ago he called me telling me his wife had died in a hit-and-run. The case has practically consumed him, which is one of the reasons why I sent my son Light to Inaba to assist him with the murder case out there." Matsuda couldn't help but feel sorry for Dojima. Just then the computer, which had been running a tire tread comparison, beeped out a result. Soichiro took a look. "Well if this isn't interesting..."

* * *

At the Dojima household, Yu and Light were talking over the events that had occurred since they first met. "I still can't believe you and Rise have been going out all this time and still haven't kissed," Yu said. Light blushed nervously. "Well, we're still trying to see where this relationship will go. Besides, you're one to talk. It's obvious you have a crush on Yukiko, yet you haven't made a move." Yu had to admit Light had a point. At least Light and Rise confessed their feelings for each other. Yosuke and Chie almost seemed to be on the verge of taking their relationship to the next level, and even Kanji was getting ready to tell Naoto how he really felt about her.

"I guess," Yu said, "I'm a lot more shy than I thought." Light chuckled. "You pull Yukiko into your arms to hide her from Kanji's wrath, you wind up in the same sleeping bag as her during the camping trip. Heck, you're both members of the drama club and are set to play a pair of lovers in their upcoming play for the cultural festival. If that's shy I'm a shadow." Yu smiled nervously. "Okay, let me put it another way. I'm not as good voicing my feelings as some people." Suddenly they heard the phone ring. Dojima, who had been sitting on the couch reading the paper, got up to answer it. "Dojima residence," he said, "Oh Soichiro." Light's ears perked up at the mention of his father.

'I may have found a lead in the case you mentioned,' Soichiro said. Dojima nodded and said, "Listen, I need to take this in a different room." He walked out. "I was wondering why Dad didn't have as much time to spend with the family lately," Light said, "He's been helping out Dojima." Yu nodded. "We should ask him what the problem is later. I have a feeling it's important. Question is, will he talk about it?" "If he won't," Light said, "Dad will. He's always allowed me to take part in any case I wanted. That's how I got to be such a good detective. Heck, I'm planning on joining the NPA after I get out of college."

* * *

As Light walked back to Adachi's, he dialed his father. 'Hey there Light,' Soichiro said when he heard his son's voice, 'How's the case going?' "Slower than I thought," Light said, "No matter who we ask, we can't seem to generate a lead. So far the only thing we've succeeded in doing is preventing more deaths. The killer has a very unusual MO. But enough about that, I overheard you and Dojima talking." Soichiro was silent for a second, then said, 'First off, I should ask you this. Have you asked Nanako about her mother?' Light thought for a second. "I think Yukiko once mentioned Nanako's mother nonchalantly during a conversation, after which Nanako mentioned she no longer has a mother. And come to think about, I don't remember seeing Mrs. Dojima since I got here."

'Then you should probably know that Chisato Dojima, Ryotaro's wife, was killed a few years ago in a hit-and-run accident,' Soichiro said. Light stopped dead in his tracks and nearly dropped the phone. "Are you serious? What happened?" 'Chisato was on her way to pick up her daughter at the day-care center,' Soichiro explained, 'When a motorist going well over the speed limit wound up running into her. I'm not sure if it was simply an accident or a deliberate case of vehicular homicide, but after running the poor woman over the driver sped off. It was hours before anyone realized what had happened.' Light was dumbfounded. _'If Nanako knows any of this, it's far too painful for her to share. She must have been worried sick, waiting for a mother who would never come to pick her up.'_

'As it happens,' Soichiro continued, 'I've managed to identify the vehicle as a white sedan. Since it's an American made vehicle, Dojima seems convinced the driver is already out of the country. But...' "But you're not one to give up so easily," Light said with a smile on his face. His father laughed. 'Exactly. And I have reason to believe that driver is still in Japan. First off, there have been a number of similar incidents in recent months in various places around the Kanto region of Japan that were caused by the same type of vehicle. Second, there are a surprising number of white sedans registered to drivers here in Japan. Dojima may be willing to accept that this case is unsolvable, and admittedly he has good reason too. But if there's even the slightest chance that a case can be solved, I take it.'

* * *

The gang was sitting around their usual table at Junes the next day. Light had told them what he learned from his father. "Now that I think about it," Naoto said, "You remember I mentioned that the club back at the Port Island didn't serve alcohol because of a rash of drunk driving incidents. Several of those were known to have been caused by a person driving a white sedan." Yosuke put a hand to his chin. "That's way too many to be coincidental. I mean, what if these were caused by one person acting as a serial killer, one who uses his car as a weapon?" Light interrupted him. "We can speculate about the hit-and-run all we want, but we have enough on our plate with the Inaba murders. It won't do us any good to try and take on a second case so soon when we haven't even solved the first one."

Yu nodded and said, "Besides, there's something I'm a lot more concerned with. Ever since I got here, it's gotten pretty apparent that Dojima has been going out of his way to try and avoid Nanako. It almost sounds like he's trying not to be a father." "I'm sure it's not that bad," Yukiko said, "I mean sure, we've seen one or two cases. But it's not like he can't stand the sight of her or anything." Yu shook his head. "It's not that serious. But I talked with him about his relationship with his daughter. He made a few comments, but after a bit he tried changing the subject, as if he wanted to avoid the topic. I'm worried his actions may push him and Nanako so far apart that something bad will happen to her."

* * *

Light had said that the gang shouldn't try to take on another case while they were already working one, but since they were waiting for the killer to make his next move Light decided there wouldn't be any harm in giving his father some help. The only real obstacle Light could see was that no one other than the driver really saw what happened that night. Still, a white sedan was hardly common in Japan and would definitely stick out in Inaba. Sure enough, a lot of the people Light talked to regarding the incident remembered seeing the sedan roaming the streets. Though no one had seen the incident itself, many people had the impression that the person in question was following Chisato. Light soon came across Hisano Kuroda, now wearing a simple kimono.

"Yes," she said when she heard Light's story, "I remember that car. Whoever owned it must have had it modified." Light was curious. "How do you know this?" Hisano smiled. "You know how American-made cars have the driver's side on the right side of the car? Well even though this was one of those American cars, the driver's side was on the left, like most of the cars here in Japan. That's what made it stick out in my mind. It struck me even at the time that the driver was following the poor woman. At one point I believe he even stopped alongside her and wanted to talk with her. I didn't hear the conversation, but something the woman said seemed to make the driver furious. He didn't immediately follow her, but waiting for about five minutes before racing off in the direction she traveled."

"Then it was deliberate vehicular homicide," Light realized. Hisano nodded. "Even before the driver raced off I feared he might try something dangerous." She walked over to a nearby side table and got a piece of paper out of the drawer. "I made sure to get a good look at the car's license plate in case I was ever questioned, and wrote it down in case my memory failed me. You may find it useful." Hisano handed Light the piece of paper, which had a license plate number written on it. After thanking Hisano, Light walked off and called his father. "I think I may have gotten a solid lead Dad. Someone in town remembers seeing the white sedan in the moments before the incident. From what she told me, I say we have a definite case of vehicular homicide."

* * *

Soichiro took down the numbers Light gave him. "All right son. I'll run these numbers and see if we get anything." Punching the numbers into the database, Soichiro picked up a nearby cup of coffee and took a sip. No sooner did he start putting the cup down when there was a hit. Soichiro looked at the name. "Kaijo Uramaki... prior convictions of violence against women. Several of which are sexual assaults." Matsuda, who was nearby took a look. "So what, the guy runs over Chisato Dojima after she rejects him, then tries to make it look random by committing a few more hit-and-run incidents?" Soichiro put a hand to his chin. "Maybe. But that makes him seem crazy, not to mention homicidal. Since the car he drives is an American make, he'd have been better off fleeing the country. Let's call every police department under our jurisdiction. I want an APB out on this man immediately."

* * *

Meanwhile at the Dojima residence, Yu noticed Nanako holding a form of some sort. "What's this?," he asked her. Nanako looked at him. "It's just something for a Parent-Teacher watch at my school. I've been trying to get Daddy to sign it all week, but he keeps putting it off." She almost had tears in her eyes. "Sometimes I think Daddy doesn't act like my real Daddy. He's almost never around, and whenever we make plans together he somehow has to do something else at the last minute. Big Bro, does Daddy hate me for some reason?" Yu flinched a little, but then shook his head. "I'm sure deep down he still cares for you, but maybe he's still trying to find closure after your mother's death." Nanako nodded sadly. "Yeah, I guess so." She then perked up. "Oh, Daddy's back."

* * *

Light had gotten word from his father that a suspect had been identified, so he decided to go and tell Dojima the good news. He soon found Dojima outside his house, about to walk in the door. "Hey there," Light said, "I thought I should tell you my Dad was able to find someone who may have caused your wife's death." Dojima's eyes widened. "No way... I thought for sure the person would have already left the country." Light shook his head, smiling. "That would have been the smart thing to do, but instead he went and deliberately committed more hit-and-runs, hoping to cover up his real motive." Dojima covered his eyes with one hand. "After all this time, my wife's hit-and-run can finally be solved." He then heard a small gasp. Light looked toward the door and saw Nanako standing there, her mouth agape.

"Wait," he said, "You... Did tell your daughter about what happened to her mother... Right?" Dojima flinched, then sighed and said, "I couldn't. I didn't want Nanako thinking her mother's death was her own fault. I mean, Chisato was on her way to pick Nanako up from day-care so..." Yu showed up behind Nanako and put his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. Nanako whimpered, "Why Dad? All this time I was asking about Momma, but you only told me she was off in Heaven. You never even explained why she got there. I just wanted... To know why..." Dojima looked at his daughter sadly. He tried looking to Yu or Light for support, but they simply glared at him in disapproval.

"Stupid Daddy," Nanako said, "You could have... You could have explained why... I'm not so little anymore..." Dojima sighed. "Sweetie I-" But Nanako tore herself from Yu's grip and ran off into the night. "Not good," Light said, "Hope I won't be waking anyone." He started calling the rest of the gang and telling them what happened. Walking inside, Dojima sank down on the couch and buried his head in his hands. "I'm so stupid. Nanako almost seemed to mature overnight after Chisato died. I could have told her... I..." Yu sighed. "Listen. We need to get out there and find Nanako. You may not have been able to save your wife, but you can certainly save your daughter before anything bad happens." Dojima looked at Light, then nodded. Picking up his coat, he followed the two boys out.

* * *

Nanako kept running. Her memories of her mother and father together kept flooding her mind. All this time she had wondered why her mother hadn't come to pick her up that day. Know she wondered why her father hadn't told her sooner. Before she knew it, she was at the flood plains. "This is where we used to go all the time," she said quietly to herself, "We would have all those picnics together." She sat on the edge of the dock and started crying. "Mama... I wish you were still here. I want us to be a family again. You, me, and Daddy. We were happy together, until that day." Nanako buried her face in her hands and started sobbing.

* * *

The gang and Dojima had run all over Inaba looking for Nanako. Finally Yu took a second to catch his breath. "This is no good. It would help if we knew where to look for her." Dojima thought for a second and then thought of something. "Of course. I should have checked there first." "Huh?," Yu said, confused. Dojima looked at the sky. "When Chisato was still alive, she and I would take Nanako for a family picnic at the flood plains every Sunday when school was out. No matter what case I had, I would always make time for it without fail. Nanako must be there now." Yu called up the others to let them know as Dojima raced to the flood plains to find his daughter.

* * *

As Nanako finished crying, she heard the sound of running footsteps. She turned around to see her father, out of breath. "Daddy...," she said. Dojima wiped his forehead, then sat down next to Nanako. "Listen Sweetie, I'm sorry about everything. I realize now I've been a terrible father. I've been ignoring you all this time, and for the wrong reasons. Truth is..." He smiled at her. "You remind me so much of your mother I couldn't stand it. It sometimes felt like her spirit was haunting me, so I threw myself into the case surrounding her death. I suppose a part of me felt if I could put that case to rest, I could let her rest."

Nanako giggled and said, "Silly Daddy. Mama wouldn't want you tiring yourself out just for her." Dojima blinked, then laughed out loud. "Maybe you're right." He calmed down. "You know, all your friends were worried about you too." Nanako looked delighted. "Big Bro too?" Dojima nodded. "Especially your Big Bro. I think he may have been even more worried about you than me. And I was really worried about you." Just then, Yu and the others turned up behind them. Nanako got up and ran over to them. "I'm sorry everyone." Yu smiled and put a hand on Nanako's shoulder. "Just don't go doing something like that again." He gently ruffled Nanako's hair as she giggled. Everyone enjoyed a good laugh.

* * *

The next morning, Light was holding a camera up ready to take a picture. Nanako decided to have a picture taken of her family as it was currently, with her, Dojima, and Yu. Dojima had finished hanging the old picture on the wall, and then took his place. "All right everyone," Light said, "Say cheese." "Cheese!," Dojima, Nanako, and Yu said at once. The picture came out great. "Now we're a real family," Nanako said, smiling, "Me, my Daddy, and my Big Bro." Light and Yu chuckled. As Light left for Adachi's, he saw the form that Nanako had wanted Dojima to sign. He had signed it, and at the line where it asked when he would available, he had written "anytime". Light smiled.

**Next time:** The school cultural festival is here, and the gang is ready to get into it. Yosuke gets the girls into the school pageant, but Chie turns the tables with a little trick of her own. The incident allows Kanji to express his feelings for Naoto, while Light helps Rise come to grips with her life. Afterwards, the gang takes a trip to the Amagi Inn. The evening is filled with fun and strange occurrences, and through it all a strange prediction could bring Yu and Yukiko closer than ever before...

**Next chapter: Star**

**Wow, things are coming to a head. I must say this chapter may have been the most heart-rending to write so far. Send me reviews people, I don't do this for my health (I do it for fun).**


	18. Chapter 18: Star

**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or Death Note.**

**Last time: **While Light was busy in Inaba, his father Soichiro was helping Dojima by attempting to solve the mystery behind a hit-and-run that killed Dojima's wife. Learning of this, Light gathers information and gets a promising lead from Hisano. However, while talking to Dojima, Light learns that Nanako never heard the details of her mother's death. Distraught, Nanako's runs away, but the gang and Dojima are able to find and console her. With Nanako and her father reconciled, they have a new family picture taken with Yu.

Chapter 18: Star

"Where... Am I?, Light said as he awoke. He knew he was dreaming, but what sort of dream was this. He was inside what looked like the interior of a limousine, colored entirely blue. To one side was a variety of drink, to the other sat an attractive young woman wearing a blue dress suit. Opposite where Light was sitting was a very thin, balding man with a very long nose and a wide grin, wearing a black suit. Despite his sinister appearance, Light got the impression this man meant him no harm. The man opened his eyes, showing them to be completely bloodshot. "Welcome to the Velvet Room," he said, "I am Igor."

"What is this place?," Light asked. Igor closed his eyes. "This is a place that exists between reality and dreams. It has taken many forms, and served many purposes. Other than myself and my associates, only those who have entered a contract may enter here." He pointed a bony finger at Light. "Those like yourself, for example. You and your friends are not the first to discover the power of the Personae, and you will not be the last. I brought you here in your sleep to discuss something interesting with you. Tell me, before you arrived in this town, did you have an unusual dream?" Light nodded. "One where I was turned into a crazed killer under the delusion that I was a god."

"That dream was a warning," Igor said, "The events of your dream were in fact the future. Fate was trying to tell you to steer away from that path. And it appears it wanted to make doubly sure you would do just that. Three others have received this dream, but I fear only you have learned anything from it. Something else I found quite interesting." He brought out two pictures, one of Rise and one of Misa. "You must have noted the difference between these two young girls, besides their appearance. To clarify, Misa appears to be satisfied with whatever love she receives, be it real or fake. But Rise is different. She will not be satisfied with anything less than true love. And I believe that you, Light Yagami, are the one who can give her this."

He placed two cards on the table in front of him and said, "Many people in this town have a part to play. Though only you and your friends have the power to bring the change necessary to save this town, there are twelve others who have a role in this great drama. I say twelve, because you will soon find another ally in a most unexpected way. But first, a little fortune-telling." He flipped cards over, and Light recognized the pictures for Lovers and Judgement, both of them in the upright position. "As you might suspect," Igor said, "You represent the Judgement. And Rise..." "She represents the Lovers," Light finished. Igor nodded. "She is still divided, not understanding herself. It is up to you to help her understand, that every part of her is real." And with that, the Velvet Room faded from Light's vision.

* * *

The school cultural festival was arriving, which meant every class had to think of an activity. In Yu, Yosuke, Yukiko, and Chie's class, Ms. Kashiwaga seemed to be getting lazy since she left it up to the students to decide. Yosuke apparently had some sort of idea. "A group date cafe?," Yu asked. Yosuke nodded. "I figure it would be a good idea for a lot of students who like someone but don't have the courage to finally say anything about their feelings." The rest of the class seemed to think it was a good idea, certainly better than the others ideas that had been put forth. "Light and Teddie were gonna meet us on the roof of the school," Yosuke said, "Let's get going. There's something else I had in mind for the festival."

* * *

The gang met up on the roof, and Yosuke dropped a bombshell that left the girls flabbergasted. "You want us to enter the beauty pageant?," Chie said in surprise. Yosuke nodded. "For some reason no one else wants to, except for Hanako Ohtani and Ms. Kashiwaga. And that's just not a beauty pageant." Chie thought for a second. "Good point..." Naoto seemed nervous about the prospect of entering a beauty contest of any kind. Kanji was doing his best to talk her into it. "Please Naoto, I... I need you to make me a man..." Naoto blushed even harder and looked at the others. Light just shrugged his shoulders. "He's still got some feelings he needs sorted out."

"Should we really enter this?," Yukiko said, "I've never tried anything like this before." Yu smiled at her. "It'll be fine. And hey, why don't we guys embarrass ourselves somehow so you're not alone." Yukiko seemed confused, until Chie held up a flier. "There's a cross-dressing portion of the pageant," she said, "I guess this is what Narukami had in mind. However, there's one issue. Our group has four girls, but five boys. So one of you guys gets to be exempt." Rise hugged Light defensively. "No way is Light being forced to enter. I won't put him through that torture." Light grinned nervously. "Why don't we just decide with rock-paper-scissors?" But when the guys tried it, Light still won.

"I should have known," Yosuke said with a sigh, "Light's so analytical he can tell in an instant what someone's gonna pick." The girls giggled. "All right then," Rise said, "I guess it'll be up to us to make you guys as pretty as possible. Question is, who's gonna work on who?" Light thought. "Since the pageant isn't until tomorrow, why don't I think of something to help us decide." The gang agreed. As they headed for home, Teddie asked Light, "What's cross-dressing?" Light scratched his temple. "It's when someone dresses up in clothes normally worn by the opposite sex, like when a guy decides to put on a dress." Teddie put a finger to his mouth in interest.

* * *

The next day, Yu's class had set up their group date cafe. Kanji had come by to offer his decoration talents. At first it seemed like no one was coming. "Man," Yosuke said, "Maybe this was a bust after all." Yukiko looked around. "Maybe if we tried it ourselves others would become interested." Yosuke frowned. "But we have an unequal number of guys and girls. How's that gonna work?" Just then, Light and Rise walked in arm-in-arm. Coming up behind them was a group of students. Seeing the cafe, several of them decided to try it. "Whoa," Kanji said, "How did you guys manage this?" Rise giggled. "Someone sees a popular idol with a new boyfriend, folks are bound to get curious."

"What new?," Yosuke said, "You and Light have been together for a couple months." Rise nodded. "True, but that's only a rumor to most people." Light chuckled and said, "By the way, next time you try to set up a new booth, you might want to set up a sign showing what you're doing." He pointed to the sandwich board he had set up outside the door. Yosuke frowned. "No one said we had to do that! I guess that's what happens when your homeroom teacher blows the whole thing off." He looked at the number of students enjoying the cafe. "Glad you guys showed up, otherwise things could have gotten awkward for us. We were about to demonstrate it ourselves, but with one guy sitting on the girls' side." Light and Rise smiled nervously. "I wonder who would have done that?," Rise said.

* * *

Later that day, the gang was getting ready for the pageant. Light had decided to try a random draw to decide which of the girls would get which boy ready for the cross-dressing portion. In the end, it would be Rise getting Kanji ready, Chie would take Yosuke, Yukiko got Yu, and Naoto got Teddie. "You're sure you can make me pretty?," Kanji asked Rise. Rise nodded with confidence. "I have the perfect idea for what to do too. Just leave it to me." Kanji nodded nervously, clearly afraid of what the others might think. Teddie for some reason was rather eager to try this out. "You know something we don't?," Yosuke asked him. Teddie just smiled and shrugged. "Maybe. But first one of us has to win."

* * *

Light stood next to Rise and the other girls in the auditorium, waiting for the start of the "Miss? Yasogami High" school pageant. "This should be fun," Light said, "I can't remember the last time I had a good laugh." "ALL RIGHT THEN FOLKS!," came the announcers voice, "IT'S TIME TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST OF OUR 'LOVELY' CONSTESTANTS! PLEASE WELCOME CONTESTANT NUMBER ONE, 'MS.' KANJI TATSUMI!" Kanji walked on stage, wearing a white dress and heels. "Uh," Light said when he caught sight of him, "Rise, what were you trying to do?" Rise giggled. "I was going for a Marilyn Monroe look. I thought making someone look like history's most beautiful movie star would be a guaranteed victory. But I don't think it worked on Kanji." Kanji did look like Marilyn Monroe, but on steroids.

Kanji grumbled at the laughing crowd, then yelled out, "Shut up! You only wish you could look this pretty!" Light almost doubled over in laughter, not that anyone could blame him. "WELL THEN!," the announcer said, "WHAT SAY WE INTRODUCE OUR SECOND CONTESTANT! PLEASE GIVE IT UP FOR 'MS.' YOSUKE HANAMURA!" Yosuke stepped out to a cacophony of laughter. He was wearing girls' shoes with high socks, a miniskirt, and a blouse with a sweater vest. Part of his hair had been done up in a single, short ponytail. Chie half-smiled. "It didn't have quite the effect I thought it might. Then again, I was going off a character I saw in this one anime." Yosuke sighed as the whole auditorium laughed at him. _'Damn you Narukami. Why'd you have to rope us into this?'_

"ALL RIGHT THEN FOLKS!," the announcer said, "IT'S NOW TIME FOR OUR THIRD CONTESTANT! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN PLEASE GIVE IT UP FOR 'MS.' YU NARUKAMI!" Yu stepped out, and Light quickly covered his mouth to stop the laughter. Yu was dressed in a typical girls' uniform, and also had long braided pigtails for some reason. "Hey," Rise said, "Yu's hair isn't that long. Yukiko, did you use a wig or extensions?" Yukiko giggled. "Both. There weren't any wigs of the right hair color that had the right length, so I used two that had half the length." Yu slapped the Kendo stick he held against the ground. "Look at me." That caused the whole school to break out in laughter.

"That just leaves Teddie," Light said, "He seemed confident going into this. But could he really win over these guys. I mean, Naoto was the one who dressed him up. No offense Naoto." Naoto just smiled and shrugged. "I think you'll be surprised at what I've done with Teddie." "AND NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," the announcer said, "OUR FINAL CONTESTANT! PLEASE LET ME INTRODUCE 'MS.' DOUG TEDDIE!" As soon as Teddie appeared, the whole school was shocked. Teddie skipped out in a blue dress reminiscent of "Alice in Wonderland". What was really surprising is that he actually looked like a girl in that outfit.

Twirling on stage, he finished with a wave at the audience saying, "Gimme your hearts!" Light chuckled. "We are sure Teddie is really a boy... Right?" "I can confirm he's a boy," Naoto said, "Trust me on this." The voting got started and Teddie soon won by a landslide. As a reward, Teddie was given the opportunity to help judge the girls' portion of the beauty pageant. "In that case," Teddie said, "I'd like to make this beauty pageant... A SWIMSUIT CONTEST!" The girls all looked shocked. "Can he do that?," Naoto asked nervously. Light sighed. "Only if the pageant officials agree to it. But what's the big deal? You girls all look great in swimsuits." Then he realized he had never seen Naoto in a swimsuit. "Oh yeah... Do you even have a swimsuit Naoto?" Naoto blushed nervously and nodded.

* * *

"I still can't believe you girls had the nerve to enter this contest," Kashiwaga said backstage. Her swimsuit was a black one-piece that appeared to be a size too small. Hanako was next to her, wearing a very large blue floral print one-piece. Both of them were surprised to learn that Naoto was a girl, much less that she was entering the contest. Naoto was struggling with her bright blue two-piece, but that was just because she was nervous. Kashiwaga smirked. "We've got one girl who doesn't have much to show, one who doesn't seem like she even wants to be here, one who's to shy around boys, and a piece of inexperienced jail-bait." Rise smiled. "You're only jail-bait when you're demographic is forty-year-old men. I appeal more to high school students." "Hmph," Kashiwaga said, "The point is that none of you girls can compare to me OR Hanako." "We'll see," Rise said, though inside she was a little nervous.

_'They'll be waiting for me, expecting Risette,'_ she thought, _'But, how will Light react to that? I've been steering away from my idol personality knowing how he feels about them.'_ She shook her head, trying to reassure herself that everything would be fine. "Hey Naoto, you done yet," she said. Naoto blushed as she jerked her head. "Huh? Oh, almost..." Kashiwaga and Hanako stepped out, ready to take the school by storm. "I can understand why Ms. Kashiwaga thinks she has a shot," Chie said, "But what about Hanako? There's no way any guy is gonna see her as attractive unless they were being smothered by her." Yukiko giggled. "Like what almost happened to Kanji at that camping trip? It's a good thing Light saw the whole event." Chie smiled nervously. "He did huh?"

* * *

The guys were in the front row, Kanji and Yosuke still trying to recover from the ordeal. "Oh well," Yosuke said, "At least it'll all be worth it. After all, Teddie's suggestion that the pageant be a swimsuit contest was approved." Yu nodded. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!," the announcer said, "IT'S NOW TIME FOR SOME REAL BEAUTIES TO SHOW US WHAT THEY'RE MADE OF! SO LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR OUR FIRST CONTESTANT, MS. CHIE SATONAKA!" Chie stepped out in her green and white two-piece, putting a hand behind her head and winking for good measure. The crowd practically went wild. "That's my girl!," Yosuke said, "The sexiest tomboy in school."

"ISN'T SHE FABULOUS FOLKS!," the announcer said, "AND NOW PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR OUR NEXT CONTESTANT! A REAL SURPISE ENTRY WAY OUT OF LEFT FIELD, MS. YUKIKO AMAGI!" Yukiko nervously walked onstage in her pink and red two-piece, but calmed down when she saw Yu smiling at her. She relaxed a little and smiled as she waved. "This has got to be the most anyone has ever seen of Yukiko," Yosuke joked, "Oh yeah, Rise will probably be next right? Hey Light, what will you do if she comes out as Risette?" Light smiled. "Truth is, I hope she comes out as Risette. It's about time she accepted that everything about her is real."

"AND NOW FOLKS," the announcer said, "WE HAVE A REAL TREAT FOR ALL OF YOU! HERE NOW IS OUR NEXT CONTESTANT, AND ONE I KNOW ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TOO! PLEASE GIVE IT UP FOR MS. RISE KUJIKAWA!" Rise walked out in her lime green two-piece. She was nervous at first, but then caught Light's face. He simply smiled and nodded. Rise smiled back, then called out, "Hey there everyone, I'm Risette!" The crowd cheered as Rise waved her arms to the crowd. _'I've forgotten how good this feels. Thank you Light.'_ Light smiled. "It all looks so natural. It's a wonder how she could have pushed it away for so long."

"ALRIGHT FOLKS," the announcer said, "IT'S TIME FOR OUR NEXT CONTESTANT! THIS ONE HAS GOT TO BE MORE SURPRISING THAN YUKIKO! YOU ALL KNOW HER AS THE DETECTIVE PRINCE, BUT IT TURNS OUT SHE'S MORE OF A PRINCESS! PLEASE WELCOME MS. NAOTO SHIROGANE!" The crowd seemed surprised to learn that Naoto was really a girl. However, at first Naoto didn't seem to want to come out. She nervously clung to the curtain trying to cover herself. But then she saw Kanji's face. He almost seemed to beckon her forward. Gulping, she stepped out in her bright blue two-piece.

"Whoa...," was all Kanji could manage. Naoto was blushing and doing her best to cover herself, but that only made her appearance more striking. Guys and girls alike could only stare at Naoto's surprising beauty. Even Kashiwaga looked a little nervous. As the voting began, each of the guys in the gang voted, with Light voting for Rise, Yosuke for Chie, Yu for Yukiko, and Kanji for Naoto. The announcer soon came back with the results as each of the contestants stood side-by-side. "AND NOW FOLKS," the announcer said, "OUR WINNER IS... NAOTO SHIROGANE!" The spotlight appeared over Naoto's head, much to her surprise. Rise was a little disappointed, but not by much. "Guess I still had to factor in the girls' votes too," she said. Kashiwaga and Hanako, however, were hugging each other sobbing.

* * *

After the pageant Light found Rise on the roof of the school, looking a little sad. "Anything wrong?," he said. Rise nodded, and then showed him what was on her phone. "Seems all the critics are liking Kanami in the new movie," she said, "The same movie I was gonna be in before I decided to quit." Light smiled. "Critics are one thing. What counts is what the fans think. You saw it today at the pageant. The world loves you, almost as much as I do." He put his arm over Rise's shoulder. "You need to remember that Risette is a part of you. You once thought that there was no real you. But that's because you were seeing each part of you as fragmented. When you see all those parts as a whole, then you see the real you." "Oh Light...," Rise said, and she and Light drew closer together. Their lips touching, they finally got their first kiss.

* * *

"I still can't believe I actually did something like that," Naoto said, though she was still smiling, "I even won somehow." Kanji, who was nearby, was also smiling. "I'm surprised you hide your true self like that. I mean, is there even any reason to dress like a boy now that everyone knows about you." Naoto smiled and giggled. "I don't know, maybe after I grow up a little. By the way, you have a little dried blood on your nose." Kanji quickly covered his nose. Naoto grinned. "Did you get that because of me?" "Heh," Kanji said nervously, "It's a little embarrassing, but after finding out you're a girl, and even a little before, I always thought you were kinda cute."

"Wow," Naoto said, "That makes things even more awkward. See, when I said I was interested in you, I meant it in more ways than one. But of course, as I was pretending to be a boy at the time I couldn't tell you for fear of things getting awkward." "I'd say things still got a little awkward," Kanji said, remembering how he had chased Chie and Yosuke after that little misunderstanding. He nervously rubbed the back of his head. "A-Anyway... If it's not too much trouble... I'd like to to take you on a date sometime." Naoto smiled, nodding. "I'd like that."

* * *

Later the gang was working to put the classroom back in order after the festival. The girls were all looking pretty pleased with themselves, having learned that between the four of them they had stolen all the votes from Kashiwaga and Ohtani. As Yu was setting one of the tables back in place, he heard a familiar voice call out, "Hey there Big Bro." He turned to see Nanako standing at the door, Dojima right behind her. Apparently, they had been enjoying themselves at the festival. "We had a great time today," Nanako said, "There were so many things to do, like this fortune teller lady in a blue room." _'Blue room?,'_ Yu thought, _'Margaret?'_

"What did the fortune teller tell you?," Yukiko asked. "Well," Nanako asked, "I wanted to know if Big Bro would ever fall in love, and the lady just said 'On the night of the full moon, the silver-haired knight will capture the heart of the crimson raven'." Chie thought of something. "Come to think of it, there's a full moon tonight. Maybe the fortune will come true tonight." Light looked thoughtful. _'I think it's obvious that Yu is the "silver-haired knight". Could Yukiko be the "crimson raven"?'_ "That reminds me," Yukiko said, "My mother wanted me to invite you all to our inn after the festival. It's not too busy right now, so there should be plenty of room."

"Does 'you all' include me?," Nanako asked. Yukiko nodded, causing Nanako to smile excitedly. "That actually sounds good," Light said, "I've heard lots of good things about the Amagi Inn ever since I got here, the situation with Ms. Yamano notwithstanding." Yosuke nodded. "Why should we let the evening end with the festival? The luxurious rooms, the great food, the hot springs... Come on, what are we waiting for?" The gang was unanimous, and they headed for the inn in high spirits. Yukiko hung back with Yu. "I just hope we get some actual peace tonight. For the past few weeks we've been dogged by the media about the so called 'cursed inn'. Maybe tonight they'll actually leave us alone." Yu nodded, and they walked off together.

* * *

At the inn, the boys were settling into their room. The girls had the room immediately adjacent to them. "Pretty spacious," Light said, "I would have thought a luxury suite like this would have been taken already." Teddie sighed. "Why couldn't these rooms have been co-ed?" Kanji grabbed him by the collar. "You try anything with Naoto and I'll put you through the door." Teddie nodded furiously. The others laughed. "Speaking of which," Yu said, "I believe the girls said they were gonna go enjoy the baths." Teddie looked excited. "Are they mixed baths?" He quickly covered his head when Kanji held up his fist in a threatening manner. "Sorry Teddie," Light said, "I'm afraid we'll have to wait our turn."

* * *

Rise stepped into the bath area with nothing but her towel on. "Wow," she said, "It's an open air bath." She ran out to edge of the pool. "And it's so big!" As Chie, Yukiko, and Nanako stepped out, Nanako was amazed at the night sky. "Wow, it's so pretty. You can see the Milky Way here." Chie and Yukiko smiled at each other. Then they heard Naoto whimpering in the changing area. Rise smiled and went to get her. "Come on Naoto. You just went through a swimsuit contest, you can do this." She literally pushed Naoto into the bath. "Easy there Rise," Naoto said, "You're gonna make me trip." She then noticed the other girls staring at her breasts. "Wow," Chie said, "So you're a C-cup. Not bad." Naoto whimpered, then quickly covered her chest. "Knock it off!"

* * *

Later that night, both groups were getting ready to sleep, when Yu noticed something near the ceiling of the boys room. "Is that... A ward charm?" Suddenly, a deep sobbing came from the ceiling. The guys all heard it and woke up. "What is that?," Kanji asked. The door to the next room slid open, revealing the girls. "Who's moaning in here?," Chie asked. Light looked around. "Say Yukiko, why exactly was this room so readily available?" Yukiko looked nervously. "Well actually, this was the room Mayumi Yamano was staying in when she died. Those moans started happening a few months ago, maybe a few days after King Moron's death."

Light put a hand to his chin and asked, "Why Morooka's death? Why not Yamano's? That doesn't make any sense." He looked to the ceiling, and noted there was a point in which it sagged. Not enough to be in any danger of breaking, but definitely enough to indicate someone was sleeping there. "These walls aren't exactly the best at keeping out sound," Light said, "Is there anyone staying in the room right above us." Yukiko thought for a second. "Oh yeah. Ms. Kashiwaga and Hanako are up there. They always come to the Amagi Inn together after their hearts get broken, and always in the same room." "You thinking they may be the ones we hear sobbing?," Yosuke asked. Light nodded.

"Kashiwaga didn't come here until the week before Morooka's death," he said, "From what I saw of her and Hanako Ohtani they seem to be good friends. And what could be more heartbreaking then losing a beauty pageant to a group of girls you're convinced are inferior to you." "Come to think about it," Yukiko said, "The only times we ever heard that moaning was when Ms. Kashiwaga was staying here. I'll have to get my mom to give them a different room next time they come here." Rise smiled at Light. "Looks like you just solved the mystery of the 'Cursed Amagi Inn' Light." Light nodded. "While I do believe in supernatural occurrences, I tend to save those conclusions until after I've ruled out more logical explanations for certain events."

* * *

The gang later enjoyed a nice dinner, during which Yukiko got called away for something. As the group headed back to their rooms, they overheard someone saying, "Fine then. You don't want to cooperate with us, we'll make sure your inn gets nothing but bad reviews." The gang looked to see a trio of media people at the entrance to the inn, with Yukiko standing defiantly against them. "Go ahead," she told them, "We'll just contact your sponsors about this incident." What appeared to be the boss of the trio was taken aback. It was clear he had no comeback for this. Reluctantly, he and his cronies headed out.

"Wow Yukiko," Yu said, "That was pretty cool of you." Yukiko smiled. "Those guys were from some tabloid news show," she explained, "They've been hounding us for weeks, making all kinds of suggestions to bring more customers. They were all too crazy to work." She looked like she wanted to say something to Yu. Chie noticed this and escorted the others back to their rooms. Only Nanako stayed behind."You know," Yukiko said to Yu, "Up until know, I've been preparing to leave on my own. But as we've continued to work together I've realized something. I am who I am because of all the people here at the inn. Not just my family, but everyone working here. And I've realized something else too."

"What's that?," Yu asked. He was quickly surprised by a kiss from Yukiko. "How much I care about you," she said, blushing. Yu smiled and returned the kiss. Nanako watched the whole thing and smiled. _'It really happened. My Big Bro, the silver-haired knight, captured the heart of Yukiko, the crimson raven. And maybe... Maybe someday Yukiko can become my big sister.'_ She quickly ran back to the others and told the good news. "I knew it would happen sooner or later," Chie said, "It was just a matter of time. Maybe now all the rumors about her will stop."

* * *

Meanwhile, the mysterious figure drove up to the Dojima household. No one was home, which relieved the figure. Placing a cryptic note in the mailbox, the figure drove off again. "I could have put the note in any of their mailboxes. But right now all of them are at the Amagi home, so Yukiko was out right away. Sending it to Light or Naoto would have been too risky. Kanji, Rise, and Yosuke all live in business homes, which would have been harder to sneak into, and Teddie lives with Yosuke. That only left Chie and Yu, and since Yu seems to be the group leader it made more sense to send it to his house. This will certainly get their attention, and hopefully get them off my back."

**Next time: **The case finally comes to head when Yu finds a mysterious letter supposedly sent by the killer, warning him not to save any more victims. As Light and Dojima have the letter investigated to see if it holds any clues, Light finds Nanako on the Midnight Channel. They soon find the kidnapper, but he escapes into the TV world. The gang needs to hurry to find him, or they may never see Nanako alive again...

**Next chapter: Moon**

**I'm sure all of you are eager to finally see this case solved. So send me reviews, but none that may reveal who the killer is if you think you already know.**


	19. Chapter 19: Moon

**Things are about to get hectic, hope you're ready. Just to let you know, I'll be using the same speaking format for so-called "deities" that I do for shadows.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note or Persona 4**

**Last time: **Light takes a trip to the Velvet Room, where Igor discusses the importance of the dream. Then at the Cultural Festival, Light and Rise help Yu and Yosuke's class with their group date cafe. When the girls get asked to enter the beauty pageant, they convince the guys to enter the cross-dressing portion, with only Light being exempt. Teddie wins the cross-dressing pageant and has the main pageant turned into a swimsuit contest, which Naoto wins. Later, Light helps Rise to understand that the Risette aspect of her personality is a part of her, while Naoto and Kanji officially become a couple. When the gang later goes to the Amagi Inn, accompanied by Nanako, Light helps solve a minor mystery involving a room that happened to have once been occupied by Mayumi Yamano. Later after Yukiko drives off some sleazy TV reporters, she finally gets the chance to express her feelings towards Yu. In the meantime, the killer has slipped a cryptic note into the Dojima household.

Chapter 19: Moon

At the Dojima household, Light and Yu were watching a news report about a government official visiting the local elementary school that Nanako attended. The reporter mentioned how the official had spoken with one of the children about the importance of their education in regards to their future. "Well," Light commented, "I doubt the killer is gonna get anything from this. That official is no longer in Inaba, and the kid he spoke to was never mentioned by name nor shown on camera." Yu nodded. At that moment, Dojima came in the door looking rather concerned. "We have an issue," he said, showing them a note he had found in mailbox, "Somehow someone's found out about your operation. We need to discuss this back at the station." "All right," Yu said, "But what about Nanako." Dojima smiled. "Don't worry. She's a good girl, and never opens the door to anyone she doesn't recognize."

* * *

The whole gang had assembled in an empty interrogation room at the police station. Yu looked over the note that had been left. It said, "Don't save anyone else. Otherwise someone close to you will be put in." Dojima looked at them. "I don't know what that last part means, but I assume this was sent by the killer. Somehow he's gotten wind of your activities, and wants to make sure it ends. Just to be safe I'm having officers look after all your homes to protect your family members. Light is the only exception, since none of his family members are actually in Inaba."

"How could the killer have found out about our actions?," Naoto said, "We never really discussed-" She then remembered the incident at the club. "Ah, stupid of me. I never made sure anyone besides us was listening." Light remembered something. "Come to think of it, after that incident I had our drinks tested. Rise was right, they were just soft drinks. But someone had slipped us ice cubes made of vodka. Since they would have had to use a laboratory-grade freezer to create them, I figure it had to be someone connected to the police." "Wait," Yosuke said, "If that's the case how come only some of us got drunk."

Naoto thought for a second, then said, "Me, Kanji, Light, Yosuke, and Chie were all sipping our drinks gingerly, taking the time to enjoy them. By the time any significant amount of alcohol got into our systems, Chie noticed Yukiko acting drunk and the five of us stopped drinking. There probably wasn't enough alcohol in our systems to get us pulled over at a DUI stop, much less start acting the way the others did." "Yeah," Chie said, "And remember how warm it was in the VIP room. I even mentioned it at one point." Light nodded. "It's a trick used by clubs to encourage customers to keep ordering more drinks. The warm atmosphere would have accelerated the melting process of the ice. However, they usually keep the temperature at a warm twenty-degrees Celsius. But when I looked at the thermostat in the VIP room after Naoto mentioned the club no longer sells alcoholic drinks, I noted it was thirty-degrees Celsius. Someone wanted to make sure those ice cubes would melt at a good rate."

Just then Kanji called out, "What the...?" The giant TV in the room just flickered on. "What's going on?," Dojima said, "No one turned on the TV." Light got an awful premonition and checked his watch. Sure enough, it was midnight. "It's the Midnight Channel." Dojima looked at him. "You mean that urban legend that's been going around? It's real?" Light nodded. "It should be fine," Yu said, "There's been no one featured on the news recently who's currently in Inaba." Rise gasped. "Guess again." On the screen was a grainy picture of a little girl. Dojima squinted to get a better look. "Who is that?" Naoto suddenly gasped. "Not good, come on Kanji."

As the two of them ran off, Dojima asked, "What the heck is going on here anyway?" Light decided now was as good a time as any to come clean. "Here's the thing. When we spoke of the killer kidnapping victims and hiding them away before killing them, we were speaking of a world inside the TV. A world that, unfortunately, is very lethal to ordinary humans. In a way, the killer doesn't really kill anyone, he let's the shadows in that world do the job for him." Dojima nodded, his mouth agape. He could barely believe what Light was telling him. "But then, how do you guys survive in there?" "We have the ability to summon powerful beings called Personae," Yu said, "They're basically an alternate version of us that can be used to overcome hardships. When a person confronts his or her shadow and accepts them, the shadow turns into a Persona."

"Alright then," Dojima said, "But how are you able to enter this 'TV world' in the first place?" Light put a hand to his chin. "I'm not really sure. Me and Narukami got this power shortly after we arrived here. Once a person gains their Persona they can do it on their own, but me and Narukami were able to do it before we even got our Personae." "Oh yeah," Yosuke said, "That's how this whole thing started. You mean you didn't always have this power?" Yu and Light shook their heads. "And let me guess," Dojima said, "The Midnight Channel is how you find out about the next victim." Light nodded. "That's right. When a person is about to be thrown in, the picture is kinda grainy like what we just saw. It's when we get a crystal clear picture with some sort of program that we know a victim is inside the TV." Just then Light's cell phone rang.

* * *

Naoto and Kanji were in a taxi racing toward the Dojima residence. "Light," Naoto said, "I know who the next victim is. It's Nanako." 'What?!,' Light said in surprise, 'But how would the killer know who Nanako is.' "That news report wasn't the only thing that mentioned the government official's trip to the elementary school," Naoto explained, "There's was also an article in the newspaper, and it mentioned Nanako by name. Seems the killer likes to do his research in case the news reports fail him. Me and Kanji are heading for her house now just to make sure she's safe." 'She should be,' Light said, 'Dojima mentioned that Nanako would never open the door to a complete stranger.'

* * *

Back at home, Nanako was waiting for her father and Yu to return. "I wonder when they'll get home, it's getting pretty late. It's already past midnight." Having had the TV on, she had no idea what the others had seen. She giggled to herself. "This may be the first time I've ever stayed up so late past my bedtime." She picked up the old photo of her mother. "Hm. I wonder... If I'm a good girl for the rest of my life, will I see you in Heaven Mama?" Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door. Putting the picture back on the table, she went over to take a look at who it was. "Oh," she said, recognizing the person. Opening the door, she said, "Hello there."

* * *

By the time Naoto and Kanji got to Dojima's house, they saw they were already too late. Out front was a white delivery van, and the person who was driving it had already put a child-sized bag into the back. Naoto quickly called Light back. "We've got a problem," she said, "Nanako's already been kidnapped." She heard a scuffle on the other end, then Light said, 'Dojima's just run off. Naoto, make sure you follow that delivery van. Don't lose sight of it, and keep us up to date on its location.' Kanji turned to the taxi driver. "You heard him! Follow that delivery van!" The driver nodded. The driver must have noticed the taxi, because he sped off down the street. As the two vehicles raced through Inaba, eventually there was a sound of a police siren. Before anyone could react, a police cruiser slammed into the delivery truck, causing it to crash into a nearby light post.

"Who in the world could have been so crazy?," Kanji asked as he and Naoto got out of the now stopped taxi. They soon saw the rest of the gang along with Adachi running up to the scene. Adachi wrenched open the door of the cruiser and pulled out an unconscious Dojima. As the gang checked to see if he was seriously injured, Light immediately called the hospital. As he talked on his cell phone, he saw a figure quickly heading toward the back of the truck. In the dim light, Light could recognize the man easily. "That's Namatame!," he called out. But Namatame had already jumped into the back of the van. Light hung up his cell and quickly checked the van. It looked completely empty except for a large TV, big enough for even someone of Kanji's size to fit through.

Naoto saw what Light was looking at and said, "So this is how our killer was able to save so much time between the kidnapping and throwing the victim into the TV. He had one in the back of his van." Light nodded. "It was Taro Namatame. I remember him from his photo in the case notes." Naoto was taken aback. "Namatame? That doesn't make any sense. He had an alibi for both Mayumi Yamano's and Saki Konishi's death." "Maybe," Light said, "But what about after that?" Naoto realized Light was right. Checking to see if anything else was in the van, she spotted a small notebook. "What have we here?" She flipped through the pages. "It's a list of all the people the killer has targeted so far, and from the looks of these numbers the dates in which they appeared on TV. Mayumi Yamano... Saki Konishi... Yukiko Amagi... Kanji Tatsumi... Rise Kujikawa... Then straight on to me. No sign of Kinshiro Morooka's name in here."

"Whoa," Adachi said, "Then that settles it. Mitsuo Kubo was just a copycat. I'd say this proves it without a doubt." Light and Naoto narrowed their eyes, but said nothing. "Anyway," Light said, "I'd say it's safe to assume Namatame has already thrown Nanako into the TV world, since she's nowhere in the van. But why would Namatame jump in himself?" Naoto shrugged. "I don't know. But we can't waste any time getting them back." Hearing this, Yu tried to jump into the TV himself, but was held back by Teddie. "Wait sensei! You don't know where you'll end up if you go through this TV!" Light nodded. "I know you want to save Nanako. But when Naoto said we shouldn't waste any time, she didn't say we should just rush in." As the ambulance for Dojima arrived, Yu calmed down and sat down, his face buried in his hands. "We shouldn't have left her alone..."

* * *

The next day, the gang entered the TV world from their usual spot. Knowing so much about Nanako, it was easy for Rise to track her down. "Right here," she said, "Where Dojima's house would be. It looks like some sort of gate." Teddie seemed to be just as apprehensive as Yu. "I really hope she's okay. I made her a promise during the summer that we would play together again." Yu smiled. "We'll find her. I know we will." "That reminds me," Light said, "Naoto never got her weapon." Naoto smiled and pulled a pistol out of a hidden holster. "Since I'm an official detective for the police, I have a legal right to carry this. It's mostly for self-defense, though." Light nodded. "Well it's gonna get plenty of use in this world, so I hope you have ammo to spare."

* * *

The gate led the gang to a strange place that was bright blue and filled with columns. Scanning the dungeon, Rise said, "Namatame and Nanako are on the tenth floor straight up. And I mean straight up." The gang looked up to find that the floors and ceilings were transparent. "Wow," Kanji said, "This is kinda trippy." Heading up the various floors, the gang stopped to look around on the seventh floor. There were no doors, just screens of some kind. Inside the giant room, the gang saw the guardian shadow. It looked like a black crucifix attached to a golden balance scale. "What is that thing?," Naoto said. Rise checked it. "It's called World Balance. It must the guardian shadow for this region." The World Balance fired a spell at the gang.

"We have no time for an extended battle," Light said, "Makarakarn!" Yoshitsune's defensive shield appeared and actually reflected the spell right back at the shadow, knocking it to the ground. "Light," Rise said, "Keep that shield up. It's defense is very weak." The World Balance got up and fired off more spells, but Light reflected all them right back. It didn't take long for the shadow to dissipate. "Well that was disappointing," Yosuke said, "But I'm glad we got that over with quickly." He looked up to the ceiling. "We only have a few more floors to go." Heading up a few more floors, the gang finally caught up with Namatame. He was holding Nanako under his arm, and was looking around in a panic.

"This can't be right...," he said, "It's nothing like what I thought it would be..." He then heard Yu call out, "Namatame! Let Nanako go right now!" Namatame turned to see the gang right behind them, their weapons pointed at him. "What are you doing here?," he said in confusion, "You can't be here, I already saved you..." "Saved us?," Yukiko said, "Do you have any idea the torment we went through because of your actions?" Namatame dropped Nanako and put his hands on his head. "This can't be right... None is this is what he said... It can't be... It just can't be..." Suddenly, Namatame's eyes turned bright yellow.

"Wait," Yosuke said, "Is this really Namatame's shadow?" Teddie shook his head. "Not quite. It feels more like Namatame is being possessed by his shadow." Just then, black fog spewed forth from Namatame's mouth. "**_'Foolish humans,'_**" came a voice from nowhere, "**_'You have interfered with our plan long enough.'_**" The fog condensed into a strange being. It was a black humanoid, dressed in a white robe. The head disproportionately larger than the rest of the body, and wore a halo of three red rings. "**_'I am Kunino-Sagiri, a servant to the god of fog. Your actions have interrupted our plans. Now you will die.'_**"

"Just try it," Kanji said, and he swung his chair at Kunino-Sagiri. The impact sent the creature sprawling. Naoto followed up by firing several shots from her pistol, causing severe damage to Kunino-Sagiri. "_'So you are strong enough to injure me. But then, perhaps that could be used against you.'_" He raised several tentacles and shot them towards the gang with the intent to mind control them. However, several lasers fired from seemingly nowhere and struck the tentacles, destroying them. The others turned around to see that they had come from Himiko. "Wow," Rise said, "I had no idea I could do that."

"Looks like we're even stronger than you anticipated," Light said, turning back toward Kunino-Sagiri. Spinning his naginata, he thrust the blade end into the creature's stomach. "Now, it's time to end you. Hama!" Yoshitsune fired his beam blade at full power, striking Kunino-Sagiri but not quite destroying him. "A little more should do it," Naoto said. Summoning her card, she twirled her pistol gunslinger-style and shot the card, calling Sukuna-Hikona. "Let's go! Mudoon!" Sukuna-Hikona brought out a rapier, and fired a spray of pure darkness at Kunino-Sagiri. This was enough to destroy him. As he dissipated, he said, "**_'You have destroyed me, but my master is not yet done with this world. Your fight has only yet begun.'_**"

"That's that," Light said as he put away his naginata. He and Kanji grabbed Namatame as he got up. "I think you have some explaining to do buddy," Kanji said. Yu ran over to Nanako and gently picked her up in his arms. "Big Bro...?," she said as she awoke. Looking around, she said, "This place... It looks just like Heaven..." She then fell unconscious again. "We need to get her out of here," Yu said, "She's much younger than us, and probably can't take the stress of this world." The others nodded. Rise then looked around and said, "Hey, where did Teddie go?" The others noticed that Teddie had mysteriously disappeared during the battle. "Well, he can't have gone far," Naoto said, "But he shouldn't be in any danger since he's a denizen of this world. Right now it's more important that we get Nanako and Namatame back to the real world."

* * *

Unfortunately, things weren't looking so good back in the real world. Nanako had been in the TV world for far too long for her body to handle. Several times that day she slipped in and out of consciousness. Then, suddenly, she full-out flat-lined. The doctors and nurses attending her quickly rushed to save her life. Yu saw Sayoko among the nurses. It was clear from the determination in her eyes that she refused to lose another patient. While this was happening, an officer ran up to Light. "We have a problem. Namatame just escaped from his room. We have the building sealed off, but we're afraid he might try something drastic." Light nodded, then said to the others, "Come on, we have to find him quick."

* * *

Teddie somehow found himself at Nanako's bedside. Seeing her in critical condition, he said to himself, "My world did this to you, didn't it? I'm sorry, Nanako. I wish there was something I could do to make it up to you." Laying his hand on Nanako's head, a bright yellow flash enveloped her. Suddenly, she started breathing again, and her heart started back up. The doctors, who couldn't see Teddie, were amazed at how quickly she recovered. "Unreal," Sayoko said, "This has got to be some sort of miracle. I'd better go tell her family." She ran out the door to deliver the good news. Teddie, meanwhile, had vanished again.

* * *

The gang finally caught up with Namatame in a darkened room. Before he could try jumping out the window, Kanji managed to collar him. "Not so fast pal. You still have a lot of explaining to do." At that moment, for no reason at all, the TV in the room flickered on. "What's going on?," Light said, "It's nowhere near midnight." The TV showed Namatame, and the picture was very vibrant. _"I did it all. With their deaths, I sought to save them. But I failed. It was all me, everything was done by me."_ The gang stared as the TV faded out again. "So all this time," Yosuke said, "It really was Namatame. Well, what should we do with him. Can we really trust the courts to deal out justice? It's not like they would really understand how all this works."

Naoto thought for a second, then said, "This TV is pretty big. If we threw Namatame in there, there's no guarantee he'd find a way out." Namatame panicked. "What? What are you saying?" "Hold on," Rise said, "We need to think things through here. I mean, can we really trust something that came from a TV?" Yu didn't seem to heed her, but grabbed Namatame by the collar and started dragging him to the TV. However, before he could push Namatame in, Light said, "Yu..." Yu turned to Light, who slugged him hard in the face. As Yu collapsed from the punch, Yukiko ran over to him. "Narukami are you okay?" "What was that for?," Yosuke said. Light shook the sting from his hand. "Rise is right. The TV world only shows people what they want to see. So it showed us exactly what we wanted to hear from Namatame."

Yu rubbed his jaw and said, "Are you saying there's something else we're missing?" Light nodded. "There are a few missing pieces in this case, questions that are still unanswered. We can't just call the case closed just because a suspect has died. For all we know, we could be condemning an innocent man to death." He turned to Yosuke. "I realize you want to end this as soon as possible, but don't forget you got started with this to gain closure for Saki's death. I don't think killing Namatame before we even know the whole story will do that." Yosuke looked down and sighed. "Look," Light said, "We're all on edge after Nanako's apparent death, but if we take the time to calm down and look at the facts, we'll find the real answer we're looking for."

Just then Sayoko walked in and said, "I have good news. It looks like Nanako's pulled through." Yu gasped and looked up. "She's okay...? She's alive...?" Sayoko nodded, and Yu rushed past her and headed back to Nanako's room. A police officer came in soon after to retrieve Namatame. Light spoke with the officer about questioning Namatame the following day, which the officer agreed to. Then the gang caught up with Yu in Nanako's room. Her eyes opened, and she smiled. "Big Bro... You're here..." "Yeah," Yu said, tears in his eyes, "Yeah I am. You gave us quite a scare for a while." "I heard you all," Nanako said, "Even Teddie. I think... I think he helped me to come back." The gang all surrounded Nanako's bed, tears in their eyes. "Where is that dumb bear anyway?," Yosuke said, "This is a real important event here."

* * *

That night, Yu found himself back in the Velvet Room. Instead of Igor and Margaret, however, he saw Teddie. He was in his bear suit, and had his back to Yu. "Teddie," Yu said, "Here you are." Teddie perked his head up and turned around. "Sensei," he said sadly, "I'm glad to see you again." Yu frowned. "Do you know how worried all of us are? You disappeared when we were fighting that strange creature." Teddie nodded. "It's just that during the battle I suddenly regained all my memories. It seems that in the end, I'm just another shadow. Well, a shadow with more powers than your average shadow anyway." Yu looked curious. "What do you mean?"

"You see," Teddie said, "I was the shadow of a young boy who was terminally ill. He always held out hope that somehow he would get better, even asked the pretty young nurse who was attending him if she would marry him. She said she would consider it when he got older, but she never got the chance. The poor boy died, and I suddenly found myself without a host. In my loneliness, I somehow created a large world where all abandoned shadows could live. Many shadows came from all over, since they were being hunted like wild animals after an incident called the Dark Hour. Things were great until one day a strange being appeared and took control of my world."

"That's terrible," Yu said. Teddie nodded. "The being had already sealed away the town's guardian spirit. Her actions aggravated the shadows and twisted the world into a warped version of Inaba. I wanted to get help, but I knew no one would trust a shadow. So I deliberately erased my own memories and took a form resembling a stuffed toy the little boy loved." He looked very sad. "I don't know if I can stay with you guys anymore. I'm sorry sensei. Please, can you tell Nanako that I would have loved to play with her again." Yu shook his head. "You can tell her yourself. She's still alive." Teddie gasped. "She is?" He seemed to cheer up a little. "Wow. Maybe I did help her after all. Thank you sensei." Then the Velvet Room faded from Yu's vision.

* * *

The next day the gang was at their usual table at Junes. Light had his eyes closed thinking about the case so far. "There are a couple of things that stuck out in my mind as odd," he said, "The first two victims, the ones that actually died, had signs of defensive wounds. But after Yukiko, that stopped happening. Next there's the note that was sent to Yu's house. It specifically said 'be put in'. From what I observed of Namatame, he doesn't seem to understand the TV world very well. He almost seemed confused by his surroundings. Third, there was something interesting in what the Namatame on the TV said. He said he 'failed' to save anyone. But when we found Namatame in the TV world, he seemed convinced he had saved his victims."

"Are you saying Namatame thought of saving us in the conventional sense?," Yukiko said. Light nodded. "I believe Namatame was under some misconceived notion that he was protecting his victims by throwing them in the TV." "That makes sense," Naoto said, "His notebook only had the names of the victims and the date they were shown on TV. Nothing more. Not to mention he has a solid alibi for Mayumi Yamano's death." Chie spoke up. "What I wanna know is why no one mentioned seeing Namatame's delivery van. It's very common sight around Inaba, and would have stuck out." "It is pretty common, isn't it?," Light said, "Which is why I think Nanako actually opened the door for him. He's hardly a stranger to her."

"I had originally thought the killer worked alone," Naoto said, "But this was only an observation based on my own experience. What if, in fact, the killer and the kidnapper are not one and the same, but two different people with the killer pulling the kidnapper's strings?" "All he'd have to do is wait until the next foggy night, and then report the body," Kanji said. Light nodded. "We need to know how Namatame got mixed up in all this in first place. Fortunately, I've arranged for us to question him personally. We only have a few hours, however, before the police have their turn. I say we start heading off now." The gang nodded.

* * *

When Namatame saw the gang, he was scared at first. "Relax," Light said, "We're not here to hurt you. We just need some answers." Namatame nodded. Light got out his notebook. "I'd like you to start from the beginning, with the events that led you to come to Inaba." Namatame sighed. "I guess... That would have to be the scandal of my affair with Mayumi. My marriage to Misuzu Hiiragi was rocky to begin with. She seemed to be taking full advantage of my government position. Well, one day I met Mayumi casually during a TV interview, after which we got to talking like old friends. I was surprised to learn she was a native of Inaba just like me."

"Wait," Yosuke said, "You were born here?" Namatame nodded, then continued. "We started seeing each other more and more, and soon enough our relationship turned romantic. I loved her, and unlike Hiiragi she loved me. Well, naturally it didn't take long for the media to catch on. The fact that Hiiragi and me were already going through divorce was inconsequential to them. And to make matters worse, Hiiragi made it out like the divorce had started after the affair, rather than before. Both Mayumi and me decided it would be best to hide out from the public eye, and she suggested we meet back in our hometown to start over. I was fired shortly afterward, but kept true to our plan and moved back in with my parents in Inaba."

"So then you got your new job as deliveryman?," Rise said. Namatame nodded. "My father was sympathetic to my plight, and offered me the job. He owns the delivery service you see. Anyway, I had heard about the urban legend of the Midnight Channel. All the kids were talking about it, and I decided to try it once just to see for myself. Well, when I saw Mayumi on the TV at first I felt vindicated. But then I saw she seemed to be in pain somehow, and it looked like something was attacking her. The next day I heard about her death. I was devastated. The police questioned me of course, but my father vouched for my whereabouts."

He closed his eyes, "When I saw the Midnight Channel again, it was a young school girl. I realized something. Maybe the Midnight Channel shows the next person to die, rather than a person's soul mate. I approached the girl, hoping to warn here, but she blew me off." "That must have been Saki," Yosuke said sadly. "When I saw the Midnight Channel again," Namatame said, "She was in the same sort of pain Mayumi had been in. I said to myself, 'Stupid girl, why didn't you listen to me?'" Light closed his eyes. "You're not the only one who thinks they might have saved her if they had only tried a little harder." Namatame smiled and nodded. "Anyway, when I saw the Midnight Channel again, it was Ms. Amagi. I remembered seeing her on a news broadcast, and remembered that Mayumi and the young girl had also been on the news before they died. I was sure Amagi would be the next one to die, that someone was killing these people."

"So you called the police," Light said, "I overheard your conversation. Was that when you decided to try throwing people in the TV as a way to keep them safe?" Namatame shook his head. "It was actually the next morning. Someone called me and suggested that I throw Ms. Amagi in the TV to keep her safe until I was sure the killer had stopped looking for her. I admit I was a little surprised to learn that she had appeared on some sort of program on the Midnight Channel. But when I checked it again a few nights later and found it blank, I was sure I had succeeded in saving her." "It was my friends who saved me," Yukiko said, "They came right into the TV world just to find me."

Namatame nodded and said, "At the time I had no idea that there were others who could enter the TV. After two more 'successes' I was feeling pretty confident that I was helping these people. Then I heard about the death of Kinshiro Morooka. I was confused, thinking maybe I had gotten the wrong victim." "But you must have been relieved to hear that Kubo, Morooka's killer, was just a copycat," Naoto said. "I was," Namatame replied, "Anyway, after I heard the story with the little girl, I was scared because I didn't know the girl's name. But the person who had called before called back to tell me the name. I remembered the house well. Not only had I passed it several times over the past few months, I once even made a delivery there."

"But when you went to 'rescue' Nanako," Light said, "There were complications." Namatame nodded. "Of course I knew there would be those who didn't understand my work. And truth be told, after seeing what that world is like, I can't blame them. I had never been in the TV world before then, but I didn't think it would be so bad since no one who had gone inside had actually died. Or at least, that's what I thought. I had no way of knowing the killer's two victims had been thrown in there themselves." Light closed his notebook. "Well, I think it's safe to assume that Namatame isn't our killer, just the killer's unwitting pawn. And this case is still open."

* * *

For some reason there was a lot of fog covering the town. The gang was at Aiya's, having spent the day questioning the townsfolk regarding the murders. But no one seemed to have any information. Yu decided to head out to clear his head. Naoto and Yosuke joined him. "You'd think folks would remember seeing Namatame's delivery van," Yosuke said, "It's like someone has been covering up evidence about this case from the get go." Naoto thought. "Yeah, and come to think of it, the killer would have to have access to an industrial freezer to spike our drinks at the club, and be able to plant the tainted ice cubes. He would also have to be able to approach Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi without arousing suspicion." Yu grew deep in thought. He had to think about everything that had happened in the case so far. In his mind's eye he saw all the people that he had met up until that point surrounding him.

_'The killer would have been able to cover up evidence pointing to Namatame, and thus himself. He would also have been able to approach Mayumi and Saki without alerting the police. He would have had access to a freezer capable of preparing the vodka ice cubes, and be able to plant them in our drinks without anyone noticing. He also would have been able to plant the warning note without anyone noticing anything. In other words, it would have been someone who doesn't stick out and who everyone in town is familiar with.'_ As Yu processed all this in his mind, a name came to him. "Tohru Adachi..."

**Next time: **The killer has been found, but he has an ace up his sleeve. The gang gets pulled into the TV world and into a strange fighting show called the P-1 Grand Prix. There, they encounter some new faces, and reunite with Teddie. Confronting the killer may be the easy part however, because a more sinister presence appears to be pulling his strings...

**Next chapter: Sun**

**Hurray for cliffhangers. The case is about to reach it conclusion next chapter. In the meantime, send me those reviews.**


	20. Chapter 20: Sun

**You're probably wondering about that little cliffhanger in the last chapter. Fear not, all will be revealed in this one. One thing I should mention first, however. There is a character named Labrys who will be introduced in this chapter. She first appeared in Persona 4 Arena (and thus is not an original character) and is often described as having a Kansai accent in-game. In the English dub, however, she is shown to have a Boston accent. Keep this in mind as you read.**

**Last time:** Dojima finds the note the killer sent to Yu and asks the gang to gather to discuss it. The Midnight Channel suddenly appears while they are talking, and Naoto realizes the little girl on the screen is Nanako. As Light explains to Dojima the full extent of the team's investigation, Naoto and Kanji alert them to a man in a delivery van carrying Nanako off. Dojima rushes out and crashes a police cruiser into the van, and Light soon realizes the driver is Taro Namatame. When the gang follows him into the TV world to save Nanako, they find that Namatame has been possessed by his own shadow and had summoned forth a strange being called Kunino-Sagiri. After defeating it, they take Nanako back to the real world, but find that they may have been too late. When Namatame tries to escape, Yu considers throwing him into the TV. Light, however, stops Yu quite forcefully and convinces the gang to think a little more logically. After questioning Namatame, Light determines that he must be a pawn for the real killer. After some thought, Yu thinks he may know who the real killer is.

Chapter 20: Sun

"Tohru Adachi...," Yu muttered. Naoto heard this and suddenly became thoughtful. "Adachi... Makes sense I suppose. As a police detective, he would be in a good position to cover up evidence. And according to Light, he was tasked with guarding both Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi." "Yeah but this is Adachi we're talking about," Yosuke said, "The guy is totally incompetent. His biggest achievement so far was catching those two hijackers, but that was just dumb luck." Naoto looked at him. "Maybe. But there is something that's been on my mind for a while. Something Adachi said that didn't make any sense to me. In fact, Light had a similar story."

"Light once told me that the best killers wear what police call a 'mask of sanity'," Yu said, "A facade of themselves they show to the world in an effort to make everyone think there's no way they could be a killer. Maybe Adachi is wearing such a mask." He walked off toward the hospital. "I should check on Nanako." Yosuke followed after him, while Naoto reentered the restaurant. Sitting down, she said, "Yu thinks our killer may be Tohru Adachi." Chie nearly choked on her nikudon. "Adachi? The guy who needs help just to tie his own shoes? That Adachi?" Light put a hand to his chin. "That may make more sense than you think. You remember how Namatame said he had called the police after Yukiko showed up on the Midnight Channel? Well Adachi was the one who answered."

"He would have known about the field trip ahead of time from Light," Rise said, "And may have anticipated where we would go while we were there." Yukiko nodded. "I remember him from when Ms. Yamano was staying at my family's inn. And just a few weeks ago, he was seen flirting with one of the senior girls at school." "It wouldn't be too hard for Adachi to look up Namatame's phone number," Light said, "And he seems to watch the news almost religiously. There's a lot of circumstantial evidence there. Probably not enough to indict him, but maybe enough to trick him into confessing." Just then Light got a call on his cell phone.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yosuke had caught up to Yu at the flood plains on the way to the hospital. "Wait up Yu," Yosuke said. The two stopped by the river. Yu looked over at his best friend. "Anything wrong?" Yosuke smiled. "It's just that... It's been a long year. We've been through a lot together. And as of late I've realized something. I'm actually kinda jealous of you." Yu looked confused. "Why should you be jealous of me?" "Well," Yosuke said, "You seem to have everything. You're a natural leader, you always do close to perfect in school, you've gathered together an awesome team almost single-handed." Yu laughed. "Maybe, but don't forget you got a girlfriend before me." Yosuke laughed back. "Only because of you. Anyway, I can't stand being jealous of my own best friend. I want us to be even. And so... I want you to give me a good punch right in the face."

Yu stared at Yosuke for a bit, then said, "How would that make us even? I'd have to let you hit me first." Yosuke thought for a bit. "All right then. Let's get even." The two of them started fighting it out, trading blow for blow until they each landed a nice hit on the other one's jaw. As they lay on the ground panting, Yu said, "Okay, now we're even." They both laughed until Yu's cell phone went off. It was Light. 'Something's come up,' Light said, 'Namatame has been transported to holding, but he wasn't scheduled to be shipped out for another five days.' Yu was surprised. "Who authorized the transport?" 'It was Adachi,' Light said, 'And that makes your theory seem even more credible since Adachi doesn't have that sort of authority. Luckily he's still at the hospital overseeing Dojima's recovery, so now's a good time to confront him.' Yu nodded, and he and Yosuke headed off to the hospital.

* * *

The gang soon found Adachi trying to convince Dojima to return to his room. The injured detective had tried sneaking out in order to continue investigating. "Hello there," Light said, taking Adachi by surprise, "We have some things we'd like to discuss with you Adachi." Adachi rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, okay." Naoto cleared her throat. "First of all, we know that you were assigned to guard the first two victims in this case. Now at the time, Light had thought that because of your apparent incompetence anyone could have snuck in, but I find it hard to believe you wouldn't have noticed anything. At the very least, you should have heard signs of a struggle." Adachi looked nervous. "Well, it was very noisy at the inn."

"Perhaps," Light said, "But it would have been easy to sneak into the inn. The police station, on the other hand, is not so easy to infiltrate. There's also something that's been bugging me for months now. Right after Yukiko was rescued, you're first statement was about Yukiko's safety." "Big deal," Adachi said nervously, "That's something anyone would say." Dojima was starting to catch on. "Except just before that I remember mentioning it was Narukami and his friends who had saved her. You acted like you already knew about that. But you had never been told before that point about Light's task force." "While we're on the subject of misplaced statements," Naoto said, "After Nanako was kidnapped we found Namatame's notebook. After I read it you said that it proves Kubo wasn't the killer. However, there was nothing in the notebook to indicate that Namatame had killed anyone, so how does that 'prove' anything."

"Additionally," Light said, "All the victims starting with Yukiko had officially been classified as kidnapping victims. Publicly no one besides the eight of us, our friend Teddie, and Dojima knows they had been targeted by the killer. And yet when Naoto read off the names you never questioned them. Very odd, to say the least." "Oh come on now," Adachi said, clearly agitated, "We all know it was Namatame who was throwing people into the TVs-" At that point he realized he had made a slip-up. "Hold on," Dojima said, "When did you get information on the killer's MO? Light never put it in his notes." Light nodded. "And while we have discussed the case in public, we've never mentioned the victims being thrown in the TV."

"Actually," Adachi said, "You did mention it once at that club." That statement only caused the gang to get more suspicious. "I don't recall you sitting with us in the VIP room," Light said. Yukiko nodded in agreement. "And I may have been drunk, but I only mentioned going inside the TV ourselves, nothing about the victims being thrown in. Most people would have thought I was rambling." Adachi panicked. He quickly realized he was only succeeding in digging himself a deeper hole. Thinking quickly, he pushed his way past Dojima. The gang ran after him, determined not to let him get away. _'I was wondering when I'd have to use this,'_ Adachi thought, and he pulled out a small, one button remote. He pressed it as he ran into a darkened room.

"I saw him go in here," Kanji said. They followed Adachi into the room, but saw nothing except a lot of beds and a large TV. Light looked around. "Hey this is the room we found Namatame in after he escaped." Suddenly the TV flickered on. "Hey wait a minute," Chie said, "It's way too early for midnight." The TV appeared to be showing another program, but not one of a victim. _"They... Are rivals. They are... Friends... Yet powerful foes! Witness the greatest fight between legendary warriors!" _"What is this?," Yosuke said, "Some sort of fight show?" Then the screen showed the whole gang silhouetted on a backdrop.

"_Seven heroic champions must now fight for the chance to be named 'Hero of all Time'! Nobody touches his precious Nanako! The Sister-Complex Kingpin of Steel, Yu Narukami! Do the crime and you will face judgement! The Legendary God-Like Investigator, Light Yagami! Wage slave in the boonies by day, hero by night! Captain Ressentiment, Yosuke Hanamura! The carnivore who's discarded womanhood! The Deadly Dragon with Spunky Legs, Chie Satonaka! Please escort to the ring my prince! The Unconquerable Snow Black, Yukiko Amagi! Blooming roses and bulging muscles! The Bloodcurdling Beefcake Emperor, Kanji Tatsumi! The body of a child, the brain of a genius! The Two-Thousand IQ Killjoy Detective, Naoto Shirogane! These seven will take on all comers to prove themselves the greatest fighters of all time... Tomorrow night!"_

"What the...?," Light said, "God-like investigator? I'm not that good." The others were just as angry at their apparent stage-names. "Jeez," Yosuke said, "Is this how Adachi sees us?" Rise sighed. "I'm just glad I wasn't called to fight in this. But why does he want us to fight each other anyway?" Naoto put a hand to her chin. "It may not be Adachi who's doing this. I find it hard to believe that he sees the world in this manner. He's got something else up his sleeve. Anyway, there's one thing about this I agree with. Since we can't just leap into this TV to follow him, we should get some rest and enter the TV world through our usual spot." The rest of the gang nodded. Light turned back to the TV. _'What are you up to Adachi? What do you have planned for us?'_

* * *

Meanwhile, a small limousine was driving down the road to the Amagi Inn. Inside were three individuals, two girls and one guy. All three of them had seen the unexpected program on the limo's TV. "Interesting," the first woman said, "I had heard some rumors about a program called the Midnight Channel. But it's a bit early for midnight wouldn't you say." The guy shrugged. "Maybe some of the rumors were a little embellished." The young girl seemed to check her headset. "Ms. Kirijo, I have confirmed that Labrys has been activated." The woman seemed interested. "I was wondering why her transport capsule was found empty. Perhaps someone got a little too curious. But then why haven't we found Labrys in town yet?" The guy snickered. "Maybe the kids on that program have some connection to the answer. I say we look for them starting tomorrow." The woman nodded.

* * *

The gang had their usual pow-wow before the new mission at Junes the next day. "Let's not waste any time," Light said, "We need to find Adachi before he dies in that world, or worse, finds a way to escape." They went to the electronics department, secretly followed by the three strangers. When the gang entered the TV, the three of them were quite surprised. "What the heck?," the guy said, "How on earth did they do that?" The younger girl tried placing her hand through the TV. Upon finding it worked for her, she said, "I believe this TV may act as some sort of gateway to a pocket dimension. Ms. Kirijo, since we have not found Labrys anywhere else, perhaps we should search this dimension ourselves." The woman nodded. "Very well. Let's give it a try." Checking to make sure no one was watching, the three of them entered the TV.

* * *

Instead of finding himself in the same place the gang always entered in the TV world, Light somehow found himself in the practice building at the high school. However, for some reason there were desks stacked up high all around the walls, leaving just enough space for two people to move around comfortably. More importantly, he found himself on his own. "Not good," he said, "Rise! Yu! Yosuke!" "Not to worry," came a familiar voice. On a nearby monitor, Light saw what looked like Teddie dressed in a general's hat and cape. However, something about his demeanor told Light he wasn't looking at the real Teddie. "You're friends are all here," the fake Teddie said, "But because of how the P-1 Grand Prix works I've had to separate you all."

"P-1 Grand Prix?," Light said, "What kind of sick joke is this? And where's Adachi?" The fake Teddie smirked. "I see you're as eager to capture my boss as you are to find your friends. But why don't we start with the latter for now." Suddenly a figure stepped out of the shadows. Light gasped when he Yosuke. "There you are," Light said, "Where have you been? Did you find anyone else?" Yosuke shrugged. "I don't really care right now. This whole thing is boring me." Light couldn't believe his ears, literally. After everything that had been happening up till now Yosuke's blood should have been boiling. "What's going on with you Yosuke?," Light said, "You're not acting like yourself."

Yosuke chuckled and said, "And how am I supposed to act. You know Light, you've always bored me to death. Maybe I should return the favor." He brought out his kunai. "I don't know what's gotten into you Yosuke," Light said as he assembled his naginata, "But if I have to fight to snap you out of it, so be it." "Okay folks," came Rise's voice from an unseen speaker, "Our first round match is underway. It's the Legendary God-Like Investigator versus Captain Ressentiment! Ready, go!" _'Somehow that didn't sound like the REAL Rise,'_ Light said. But he had little time to think before needing to block an attack from Yosuke.

"Come on," Yosuke said, "You're gonna bore me to death before you can even finish me off. Sukukaja!" Yosuke dashed at Light at blinding speed, but Light anticipated the next attack and ducked beneath it. He then slammed his naginata into Yosuke's stomach. To both their surprise, even though Yosuke felt the pain there were no visible marks on his body. "This fighting show is more like a fighting game," Light said. The two of them kept trading blows, until Light called out, "Hama!" Yosuke was blinded by Yoshitsune attack, and Light was easily able to knock him out with a quick leg strike to the head.

"Ow," Yosuke said as he got up, "You mind at least telling me what crime I even committed?" "Huh?," Light said, thoroughly confused. He suddenly had the impression that he wasn't the only one being made to hear what someone wanted him to hear. Helping Yosuke off the ground, Light explained the whole situation. "I said you were boring me to death?," Yosuke said in surprise, "That can't be right." Light nodded. "It seems we're up against a new foe that is able to alter our perception of reality, changing what we see and hear." Suddenly Rise's voice came over the loudspeaker. "Too bad for Captain Ressentiment. Either he was too busy being bored, or Light was just too much for him. I'm gonna go with both." Light frowned. "That's not the Rise I know and love. This is just some imposter, and I'm betting that fake Teddie is behind this."

"Blah, blah, blah," the fake Teddie said over the monitor, "It's time to be getting on with the fighting. You both should know, only the winner of each fight is allowed to move on to the next round. So I guess that means Yosuke is stuck here while Light gets to move on." Light frowned. "I have a feeling Adachi has something to do with this. Not only is he trying to rip our gang apart by having us fight each other, he's insuring we can't fight as a team like we always do. Worse still, he's taken Rise somewhere else so she can't help us navigate." "Looks like we have no choice," Yosuke said, "I'll just wait here until we find a way through this." Light nodded and ran, not knowing the young girl was watching him from nearby. "They are able to summon Personae without the aid of an Evoker," she said, "They must be incredibly powerful."

* * *

Teddie woke up to find himself caught behind iron bars. "Oh man, what on earth happened. Oh well no matter. Time to try my patented 'Bear-Skin Rug' technique." Flattening his bear suit so that it hugged his human body, Teddie had just enough room to slip through the bars with little effort. "Holy cow," came a voice from nearby. Teddie looked around he saw a girl around Yukiko and Chie's age. She was wearing a school uniform that looked like the Yasogami High summer outfits. Her white-blonde hair was tied in a high ponytail, and she had light blue eyes. Teddie was quickly smitten. "Oh, hi there. My name is Teddie. Can I ask who you are?" The girl looked at him. "I'm the Yasogami High Student Council President." Teddie blinked. "I meant your name." The girl thought for a second. "You know, for some reason I can't remember."

_'Oh, I see. She must have been thrown in here just like Yukiko and all the others,'_ Teddie thought. "Well, no matter Miss President. I'm sure my friends can help you out. In fact I can smell them from here." The girl nodded. "In that case, maybe you can help me out here. For some reason the whole school has been turned upside down for some fighting tournament called the P-1 Grand Prix. Weird thing is, the whole ordeal is being set up by someone who looks like you. But I just saw you locked up in that cage, so I'm guessing it's an evil twin or something." "Another me?," Teddie said, "That can't be good. Now let's see." He sniffed around. "Seems the people closest to where we are are Light and Yukiko." Teddie headed out, the girl close behind.

* * *

Light was breathing heavy after his fierce battle with Yukiko. It seemed she was already aware of what was happening, having already had to fight Naoto earlier. As they talked, Light heard a familiar voice call out, "Light! There you are!" Light turned around to see Teddie being followed by a young girl who looked like she came from Yasogami High. "There you are," Light said, "We've been worried sick about you." Teddie looked like he was out of breath, but strangely the girl seemed just fine. "Yeah... I'm okay," Teddie said, "And for the record, I don't blame you for leaving me behind last time. Heck if anything I left you guys behind. Oh yeah, sensei told me Nanako is alright. Is it true?" Light nodded. "It was touch and go for a while, but it looks like Nanako is gonna pull through."

"Uh, this conversation is all well and good," the girl said, "But you mind telling me what you plan on doing with that dangerous weapon?" She pointed at Light's naginata. "I guess I should put it away for now," Light said, and he separated the two halves and tucked them under his coat. Yukiko looked at the girl. "So Teddie, who's your new friend?" "Oh right," Teddie said, a little flustered, "She said she can't remember her name, but apparently she's the student council president at Yasogami High." Yukiko suddenly turned red and bowed. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry Miss President!" Light looked at her. "Wait, so it's true?" Yukiko shrugged her shoulders. "I wasn't paying attention to the elections last year." "Come to think of it," the girl said, looking at Light, "I wonder why you aren't wearing the regulation uniform." Light chuckled. "I don't actually go to Yasogami High."

Teddie looked around and said, "Where's everyone else?" "Yosuke and Naoto got trapped by the rules of this game," Light said, "I don't know about the others." The girl pointed to a chalkboard on the wall. "According to this there's only been three fights so far, including the one you two just had." Light nodded. "Then we should go look for the others. If we don't encounter them in any designated fight zones they should able to help us." Teddie suddenly started sniffing around. "That's strange, there are four others here besides us. Did you bring any guests?" Light shook his head. "Additional players could give us an advantage. Let's go." Teddie, Light, and the girl walked out, but Yukiko didn't follow. The girl turned back to look at her. "Why isn't she coming with us?"

"The rules state that only the person who wins the fight can move on," Yukiko said, "And I just lost so I'm stuck here for now." The girl looked confused. "What's stopping you from leaving?" Yukiko walked up to the open door and rapped her knuckles against an invisible wall blocking her way. "That." The girl tried it herself but found she was able to pass through with no problem. "That's strange. How come the wall only works for Yukiko? What kinda crazy thing is happening to this school? Whoever's doing this is gonna get some serious punishing!" And with that the girl ran off down the hall. "Well," Light said, "If she is the student council president, she certainly has the right drive for it." Teddie smiled after her. "She's amazing!" Light chuckled. "Sounds like you have a crush." Teddie blushed and rubbed the back of his head.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yu was elsewhere, sheathing his katana. He had just had a fearsome battle against a young woman who called herself Elizabeth and her powerful Persona Thanatos. "I see you are as powerful as I expected," she said, "With this, I may be able to better understand the power of the Wild Card." Elizabeth looked much like an elevator conductress, with a blue suit and cap. Her face reminded Yu of someone. "Do you know a woman by the name of Margaret?" Elizabeth put a finger on her chin. "So you know of my sister. Indeed, I too was once a servant of Master Igor about two years ago. Naturally the Velvet Room had a different appearance then. I wonder what form the master gave it this time. Well now, I had best leave. Your real opponent should be here soon."

"My real opponent?," Yu said. Just then, something flew down from the ceiling and impacted on the ground. Yu covered his face to avoid the dust, then looked to see another young woman. For the most part she looked human enough, with short blonde hair and clear blue eyes. Her arms and legs appeared to be covered in some sort of armor, and she wore a metallic hair band. For some reason there was steam coming out of her body. She stood up and at first seemed to ignore Yu. "Cool-down complete. Scanning area." She waited for a bit, then sighed. "She is not here either." She then spotted Yu. "Oh, you are one of the individuals on that program. What were you called, the 'Sister-Complex Kingpin of Steel'?" Yu looked frustrated. "Okay, I'll admit the Kingpin of Steel part sounds cool, but Nanako is my cousin, not my sister."

The girl looked flustered and said, "Oh sorry. Anyway, I am the Seventh-Generation Anti-Shadow Weapon, codenamed Aigis. My I ask your name?" Yu nodded. "It's Yu Narukami." Aigis nodded, then looked alert. "Oh dear, it appears we have met in a designated fight zone. My apologies, but I'm afraid I have no choice if I am to complete my mission." Yu, realizing he was in for a fight, drew his sword. Then, for whatever reason, Aigis pulled out what looked like a pistol. Instead of pointing it at Yu, however, she pointed it at her own head and pulled the trigger. Yu was expecting a massive blood splatter, but instead it created a spark of energy and a female humanoid appeared. She was dressed in a white robe and wearing various armor pieces on her torso. She also carried a spear and was surrounded by a wide ring that appeared to serve as a sort of shield.

Yu gasped and said, "Is that... A Persona?" Aigis nodded. "This is my Persona, Pallas Athena. Oh, you must be wondering about what I did earlier. You see, that pistol I used is a device called an Evoker. It can be used to summon a Persona. But apparently there are those among you who can summon a Persona without them." Yu smiled. "Like this?" He summoned his card and shattered it in his hand, calling for his Persona. "Meet Izanagi, my Persona." Aigis gasped. "How did you accomplish this?" "Here in this world," Yu said, "Where there is so much spiritual energy, a Persona can be summoned almost effortlessly." He readied his weapon and waited for Aigis to make the first move. After realizing Yu was ready, Aigis raised her hand and fired several rounds from her fingers.

"Whoa!," Yu said as he barely ducked under the attack. He was surprised at this, but apparently Aigis was no ordinary human. Yu brought his katana up to slash at her. Aigis tried to dodge, but was too slow. The attack sent her sprawling. Checking herself, she said, "That's strange, no damage detected, only fatigue." Yu nodded. "Seems in this world we can only suffer pain, but not damage." Aigis got up and called out, "Kill Rush!" Athena struck with her spear, but Yu countered. "Rakukaja!" Using Izanagi's defensive aura, he grabbed Athena's spear and redirected it. _'Amazing,' _Aigis thought, _'He's so much like that man. As if they were the same person, even though they're clearly not.'_

Just then, Yu called out, "Zio!" Aigis suddenly felt a mass of electrical energy surge through her. Being a robot, it did more damage than it would an ordinary being. She felt herself shut down temporarily. When she awoke, she saw a familiar blue-haired boy. "Mi... Minato...?" The boy said, "Huh, are you feeling okay?" Suddenly the boy's image faded into that of Yu's. Aigis suddenly felt flustered. "Oh my, I'm so sorry," she said as she got up. _'She called me Minato,'_ Yu thought,_ 'If I remember correctly, Yukiko mentioned that name at one point.'_ Aigis bowed. "My apologies for all this. Anyway, I should mention what my mission here is. I am working with a company called the Kirijo Group to retrieve a weapon of vital importance."

"What sort of weapon?," Yu asked. "It is my older sister," Aigis said, "The Fifth-Generation Anti-Shadow Weapon, codenamed Labrys. My mission is to bring her back in one piece. You see, she was recently stolen from a Kirijo Group plane by hijackers. However, we had received word that the hijackers had been captured and Labrys retrieved. But for some reason when we arrived in Inaba, she was nowhere to be found. Ms. Kirijo believes she has been activated somehow and our search brought us to this pocket dimension." Yu nodded. "I see." Aigis bowed again. "I'm sorry, but I must ask you to carry out this mission in my stead. The rules of this tournament forbid me from leaving this room." Yu smiled at her. "Don't worry, I'll see it done." And with that, he ran out of the room.

* * *

Kanji ducked beneath another blow. He was fighting a tough bruiser named Akihiko Sanada. Akihiko was muscular guy around Kanji's size, with a blonde buzz-cut and several scars on his face. He was only wearing military pants and boots, along with a red hooded cape and fighting gloves. His Persona was the massive Ceaser. "Give it up kid," Akihiko said, "I've gotten to the point where I feel as strong as a hundred men." Kanji grinned. "Well then this should no problem. I once took out a hundred men without a break." Before Akihiko could react, Kanji grabbed him by the cape and sent him flying with his folding chair. "Let's go!," Kanji said, "Take-Mikazuchi!" Take-Mikazuchi appeared over Akihiko and threw his lightning bolt. Akihiko felt a surge of electrical energy surge through him. As he was about to land, Kanji and his Persona took opposite sides and slammed their fists into Akihiko's body. He was unconscious, but alive. "I'd stay down if I were you," Kanji said, "Now where should I search next?"

* * *

Light and Teddie were in the midst of trying to track down the student council president, when Teddie had gotten into a fight with another woman. The woman, named Mitsuro Kirijo, was an attractive red-head wearing a black catsuit and a white fur coat. She had proven a challenge with her Persona Artemisia. Teddie had still managed to succeed however, though the battle tired him out greatly. "Interesting," Mitsuro said, "I have never heard of a shadow gaining a Persona." Light chuckled. "Teddie's not like other shadows. In fact he's the one that made this world in the first place, though someone else has taken it over since then."

Mitsuro put a hand to her chin and said, "That explains why we haven't seen any shadows since the Dark Hour incident." Teddie nodded. "I made this world so all the shadows not attached to a host could have a place to call home. It was never meant to be used for such evil purposes as this." Mitsuro smiled. "Light's right, you're not like other shadows. In fact, I could almost call you a friend. Well then, it appears I must ask for your help in locating Labrys for us." Light nodded. Mitsuro had already explained the situation with Labrys before the fight. "It would help if we could know what Labrys looked like," Light said. Mitsuro thought for a second. "I'm not sure a description would be necessary. She is a humanoid robot and would certainly stand out, even if she was in her human disguise. Her abilities would give her away almost instantly."

As Light and Teddie walked out of the room, Teddie suddenly said, "Oh, there's Miss President." The girl was standing just outside the room, and appeared to be waiting for them. "Where were you two? I've already looked around this whole school, or at least the parts that weren't blocked off by those crazy invisible walls." Light looked confused. "We've only been separated for an hour at most, there's no way you could have checked the whole school in that amount of time." "Maybe you guys are just too slow," the girl said. Just then, Light got a call on his cell. "Hello?" 'Light! Thank goodness!,' came Rise's voice. "Rise? Is that the real you?" 'Yes. It's me. The fake Teddie has me locked up in the school's announcement room. You've got to hurry. Oh no, he's coming back.' Then Rise quickly hung up.

"Who was that?," the girl asked, "Your girlfriend or something?" Light nodded. "And it looks like that fake Teddie has her in the announcement room. We have to hurry." But before they could get started, Light had to block a sudden attack from Chie. "I'm so hungry," she said, "Need more meat." Teddie looked worried. "I don't like where this is going. You have to snap her out of this Light." Light nodded, and swung his naginata to strike Chie. "Hey watch it," the girl said, "No violence in the hallway. Aw, who am I kidding? They're past the point of listening." Instead, she rolled up her sleeves and slugged both Light and Chie. "Call that a draw," she said.

"Ow," Chie said, "That hurt. Seriously though Light, isn't Rise enough for you." Light looked confused. "What exactly did you hear me talking about?" "Huh?," Chie said, "You mean you weren't hitting on that girl?" Light shook his head. Teddie was gazing at the girl. "Wow Miss President, you're so strong." The girl flexed her arm. "I gotta be. A girl like me would get run over otherwise." Chie looked at the girl. "Miss President? Light who is this girl?" "Wait, you don't know?," Light said, "She says she's the student council president at Yasogami High." Chie thought for a second. "That's weird. I could have sworn the student council president this year was a guy."

"Huh?," the girl said, "What are you-" She then started holding her head in her hands. "What's going on? What's happening to me?" Then without warning, she leapt high into the air and came down several meters away from the group. She then dashed off at an unthinkable speed. "Oh boy," Light said, "I think that may have been Labrys." He explained the situation to Chie, who then raced off after her. "Shouldn't she have been blocked by the invisible wall?," Teddie said. Light followed her for a few steps without being impeded. "It's probably because our fight was interrupted by Labrys. Which means we should have no problems." The two of them raced after Chie.

* * *

By the time they caught up, Chie had already gotten into a fight with Yu and lost. Light stopped for a second. "Yu?," he said, "Are you okay?" Yu looked at him. "You humans are so annoying. I've tried everything I can think of, yet you still insist on remaining friends." Teddie looked at Light. "I think this one's obvious." Light nodded. "Something tells me Yu is thinking the same thing." He brought out his naginata. "As much as I'd like to you take over the search Yu, my girlfriend's in serious trouble. So I have no choice but win this fight." Teddie realized something and ran over to Chie. "Do you know if anyone's fought Kanji yet?" Chie nodded. "I actually had a tussle with him just before I found you guys." Teddie sighed. "There goes out best fighter."

The reach of Light's naginata was enough to counter Yu's katana. The two of them traded blows for a few seconds. _'This is too even,'_ Light thought, _'Time to try something new.'_ He spun his naginata in such a that way it knocked Yu into the air. Light then extended his arm. "Hama!" Yoshitsune waited until just before Yu hit the ground, then launched his attack. After Yu regained consciousness, he blinked a few times. "Guess we know which of us would win in a fight," he said. Light shook his head. "This was only one fight, and I'm trying to save Rise." Yu got up. "I take it you know where she is then." Light nodded. "Come on Teddie, we have to hurry. Yu, when this is over, gather the others and meet us in the announcement room." Yu nodded.

* * *

Light and Teddie finally found their way to the announcement room. Trying the door, they found it unlocked. "Rise," Light said, "Are you in here?" He spotted Rise soon enough. Upon seeing her boyfriend, she excitedly called out, "Light, you're here!" She ran over to him, and the two embraced. "I'm so glad you're safe," Light whispered to her. Rise smiled as she snuggled into Light's chest, then spotted Teddie. "Teddie," she said, "Where have you been? All of us have been so worried about you." She started lightly hitting him on the head. "Bad bear! Bad bear!" Teddie looked sad. "I'm sorry Rise. A lot's been happening with me. Oh, that reminds me. Did another girl come in here at any point?"

Rise nodded and said, "Over there." She pointed to where the girl was. She now had what looked like armor on her arms and legs, and metal covering over her hair. In one hand she held a double-sided axe with what looked like miniature turbines on the underside of the blades. Light narrowed his eyes. "So you are Labrys." Labrys nodded. "That's me. Fifth-Generation Anti-Shadow Weapon Labrys. What a name, huh? You here to take me away?" Light shook his head. "We actually came here for a different purpose. There's someone else here we're looking for." Suddenly, there was a familiar chuckle.

"Well now," the fake Teddie said, "Seems you've made it all the way here. I must congratulate you." Light narrowed his eyes. "Why not show us you're real form? It's obvious this isn't what you really look like." The fake Teddie smiled. "**'Very perceptive,'**" he said, then shifted into his true form. The others gasped. It looked just like Labrys, but was clearly a shadow. "What the...?," Labrys said, "Why did he turn into me?!" The shadow Labrys chuckled. "**'Why are you so sad? I've done everything you wanted. I made it so the people here would suffer the same trauma you did. Having to fight their best friends, what could be more horrible? I know this, because I am you.'**"

"No...," Labrys said, "I didn't... You can't..." Teddie got an awful feeling. "Wait Labrys! Don't!" But Labrys cried, "You're... YOU'RE NOT ME AT ALL!" The shadow laughed maniacally as it was surrounded by the blood-red aura, but it didn't transform like the other shadows had. Instead, it was accompanied by a strange beast that looked like a mass of darkness with a bull skull for a head, held in the ground by chains. "The shadow's gone berserk," Rise said, "But why didn't it transform?" Light shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe it's because Labrys is so powerful her shadow doesn't need to transform." The shadow brought its axe down on Light, who blocked it with his naginata.

"**'You're pretty strong,'**" the shadow said, "**'Let's see how you handle Asterion's power.'**" The giant creature blind-sided Light with a massive punch. Light got up and deflected a second attack with Yoshitsune's aid. "Go Yoshitsune! Skewer!" Yoshitsune launched himself like a drill at the shadow, blade-first. The attack sent the shadow sprawling. Before it could get up, Light launched it into the air with his naginata. "Hama!" Shadow Labrys screamed as the bright light from Yoshitsune's blade engulfed her. It fell unconscious as Asterion quickly disappeared. As the shadow tried to get up, Labrys walked over to her. "So who this anyway?"

Teddie smiled and said, "That's your shadow. It's a part of you that represents all your negative emotions." Labrys nodded. "I see. I remembered now, the other unit I became friends with, but was forced to destroy. It was never about making others feel my pain, it was about wanting a friend." She picked her shadow up and embraced it. "You're me, and I'm you." The shadow smiled and returned the embrace before being enveloped in the blue aura. It changed into a humanoid female that had the appearance of a full robot, with long flowing hair the same color as Labrys'. It turned into a card with a picture of World Arcana and fell into Labrys' hand. "Ariadne. This is... My Persona." Teddie nodded. "Congratulations Labrys."

* * *

The whole gang, as well as Aigis, Mitsuro, and Akihiko, met at the main base inside the TV world. Mitsuro had just finished removing the control chip from Labrys. "There we go," Mitsuro said, "Now you can no longer be controlled by anyone." Labrys looked surprised. "You mean that's the only reason you were looking for me?" Mitsuro nodded, then turned to the others. "I'm sure Labrys is eager to find the one who put her here, so I'm entrusting you all to her care. Especially you Teddie." Teddie blushed, causing everyone to laugh. "You know," Aigis said, "For a shadow, I think you'd make a great big brother." Labrys grew flustered. "Whoa there Sis, let's take things one step at a time here."

As Aigis, Mitsuro, and Akihiko prepared to leave, Akihiko turned back to Kanji and said, "Let's have another fight some time. You're the best opponent I've had yet." Kanji gave him the thumbs up, and the three of them left. Yu turned to the gang. "Alright then, now for the real reason we're here. We have to find Adachi." He gave Labrys a quick summary of the events leading up to that point. "Rise," Light said, "You must have found the time to search for him." Rise nodded, but looked sad. "I know Adachi's still here, but I can't seem to find him." Labrys thought for a second. "Maybe Teddie could do it. He made this world, right?" She clasped her hands and made her best puppy-dog face. "Please Teddie." Teddie smiled and tried his hardest. He tried so hard that he suddenly became surrounded in a yellow aura. "Got him," Teddie finally said, "Follow me."

* * *

"It's come full circle," Yu said. Teddie had led them to the apartment building where Mayumi Yamano had died. Sure enough, Adachi was inside. "So you found me," he said, "I hope you enjoyed my little diversion. Shame it didn't have the effect I thought it would." "I must admit," Light said, "When I first laid eyes on you, it never crossed my mind that you might be the killer. However, certain actions of yours made me suspicious later." Adachi laughed. "I guess your father sent you here for a reason. The whole thing started with the Midnight Channel. I actually caught a showing of it even before that fool Namatame. I was stoked to find Yamano on the TV, even more so when I learned that I was to protect her during her stay here in Inaba."

Light narrowed his eyes and said, "I doubt you thought to just throw her in the TV." "You're right of course," Adachi said, "What I did first was to meet with her and ask her if her affair with Namatame was real. But then that bitch went and told me to buzz off. Well that set me off in a hurry. I'll admit I always did lose control around women, but up until then I had done my best to restrain myself. But this time... This time I would not be denied. Or so I thought. Imagine my surprise when she wound up going through a nearby TV. Not just partly, but all the way through. Up until then I had only tried parts of myself, I had no idea you could enter your whole body. I thought nothing more of it until later when Yamano was found dead. Man, did that shock me to no end. I suddenly realized that I had wound up killing her myself, but the funny thing is I didn't feel sorry about it. Sick, yes, but not sorry."

"So what happened with Saki?," Yosuke said, "You tried the same thing with her." Adachi shrugged. "Sort of. See, the second she turned her back on me, I knew I was getting nowhere. I decided I'd better get rid of her before she could complain to anyone. So I restrained her and threw her into the TV that was in the room. She was lighter than Yamano was, so it was a lot easier." The smile Adachi wore as he said this made Light sick to his stomach. It reminded him too much of the dream. "I take it you were the one who called Namatame about 'saving' victims by throwing them into the TV." Adachi chuckled. "That's right. I would have suggested it earlier, but you were in the room and I knew I would only draw too much attention to myself. Oh yeah, you're probably wondering about Labrys."

He chuckled to himself and said, "Catching those hijackers was legitimate dumb luck. After that, curiosity led me to open her transport capsule. Besides Labrys herself, the capsule contained an activation remote, but nothing else. By that point I was getting upset that no one else was dying, and I was getting concerned that someone was on to me. So I carefully snuck Labrys to the nearest TV and threw her inside. Not being human, at least physically speaking, I figured she would escape detection and be safe enough from whatever was killing people in this world until I needed her." "One question," Yu said, "Was it you who threw Kubo into this world?" Adachi nodded. "That's right. The lights were off and the TV was dark, so he had no idea at first that he was inside a TV. I had hoped that his confession would cause the case to be closed, but unfortunately the higher-ups all listened to Light when he said Kubo was just a copycat." Suddenly, Teddie's senses picked up something.

"Wait you guys," he said, "That's not really Adachi." Adachi laughed as he vanished completely. "An illusion," Light said, "Does he really intend to keep playing with us?" Teddie sniffed around. "Don't worry, I've still got his scent." He led the gang to a place Light knew all too well. "Here again," he said. "Place looks like a morgue," Labrys said. Light nodded. "This is where I confronted my shadow, and subsequently gained my Persona." Inside, the gang saw all the bodies hanging from the nooses. "Light," Rise said, clinging to Light's arm, "Who are all these people?" Light looked around. "They're people who have died in my dream." They soon came to end of the hall, where the last two open coffins were. Naoto gasped when she saw L's dead body. "Don't worry," Light said, "None of this is real. These are just replicas." The other coffin, the one the Shadow Light had been in, was now empty.

"I can smell Adachi just behind there," Teddie said. Carefully walking into the coffin, he tried the back. To his surprise, it opened like a door. The others looked in shock. "Textbook secret panel," Yosuke said, "I was wondering if we would ever see anything like this." The area behind the door was just as shocking. It looked like Inaba, only it was covered in debris and crime-scene tape. Just in front of them was an obese police officer with a giant hole in it's torso. Rise quickly scanned it. "That's a Chaos Fuzz. It must be the guardian shadow." The gang summoned their Personae, Labrys using a mighty downward swing with her axe. "Let's see what you can do Ariadne. Megido!" Ariadne shot two red ribbons from her hands. As the ribbons expanded to surround the Chaos Fuzz, it became clear they were actually endless labyrinth patterns. The ribbons tied around the Chaos Fuzz and trapped it.

"Hey not bad," Labrys said. She then leapt into the air and brought her axe down on the shadow, destroying it. The others stood there gaping. "Come on now," Labrys said, "I'm not an anti-shadow weapon for nothing." Continuing through the strange landscape, the gang's path was blocked yet again. This time it was a massive humanoid that looked like it was made of red and white skyscrapers. "This one's called the Giant of Envy," Rise said, "Be careful, it's tough." But before the gang could attack the giant, Asterion reappeared and crushed it. Adachi then walked out of the shadows. Light realized something. "Asterion is your Persona isn't it?" "That's right," Adachi said, "I've had him for some time now. I'm not sure where I got him from, I've just known about him for a while. He's quite effective at casting illusions, but really shines as a physical brawler."

"So that's how you set up that fighting tournament," Naoto said, "You even lent him to Labrys' shadow." Adachi clapped his hands slowly. "Now you know everything. Not that it matters. Soon this whole town will enveloped in the fog, and everyone here will be turned into a shadow. I realized even before I killed Yamano that this was my destiny. That I was chosen to free the people of this town from their earthly desires and have them live as shadows, surviving only on instinct." Teddie then noticed Adachi's eyes were yellowed, but he still felt human. "Adachi's been possessed by his own shadow." The gang quickly brought out their weapons and started to advance. But Adachi pulled out his gun and fired a shot, grazing Light's cheek. "Pretty good shot aren't I," Adachi said, "You know the only reason I even joined the police force was so I could use a gun, since civilians are forbidden to own them. Wasn't as enjoyable as I'd hoped, though."

Light wiped the blood from his cheek and said, "You're more pathetic than I thought." Adachi seemed confused. "Oh? And how am I pathetic? How am I any different from you? You and that little dream." Light smirked. "I'll admit there are similarities, but there are also differences. In my dream I only gained a god-complex out of boredom and a deadly notebook. You seem to be that way naturally." Adachi growled in frustration and fired off several shots. Labrys stood in front of the group and used her metal arm to deflect the shots. "You know, it was probably a stupid idea to activate me." Adachi growled again and tried to give Asterion a command, but Yosuke beat him to the punch. "Sukukaja!" Before Adachi could react, Yosuke had already struck with his kunai.

"Why you," Adachi said, and he fired off several more shots. With his magical speed, Yosuke was able to dodge the bullets easily. Suddenly Adachi was sent sprawling by Labrys' axe. Kanji raised his hand. "Kill Rush!" Adachi quickly covered his head before his body was pummeled by Take-Mikazuchi's fists. The last hit broke Adachi's connection to Asterion, causing him to vanish. Adachi laughed weakly. "Well, that's what I get for trying to fight when I'm outnumbered. Guess I have nothing left to lose." He put his gun to his head with an intent to commit suicide. But before he could pull the trigger, something stopped him. "_**'Not yet,'**_" came a mysterious voice, "_**'I still have use for you.'**_" Adachi was lifted into the air to the surprise of the gang. A bright white fog suddenly surrounded Adachi, and what replaced him was massive.

"What is that?," Kanji asked. It looked like a giant metal eyeball covered in smokestacks. It's iris looked like a giant green lens. "_**'I am Ameno-Sagiri, the god of fog. I was summoned here by the darkness in people's hearts. This land, created to house lost shadows, is being consumed by the fantasies created by humans. For this reason, I have made it my sworn duty to eliminate all the humans here. But I needed a vessel with which to manifest myself. In that way, you have aided me.'**_" "Then you were the one manipulating Kanji's shadow, and Teddie's too," Light said. "_**'Indeed,'**_" Ameno-Sagiri said, "_**'However, I know you humans prefer life to death. Therefore I will give a chance to survive. Defeat me, and I will give up on my mission.'**_"

"Very well then," Yu said, "But expect us to put up a good fight." Ameno-Sagiri made something resembling a nod. He then fired a massive laser at Yu. Yu braced himself, but the impact never came. When he looked, he saw that he was protected by a shield of twenty-two cards. "_**'I see you have been busy growing in strength,'**_" Ameno-Sagiri said. Nine of the cards, representing the Judgement, Magician, Chariot, Priestess, Emperor, Lovers, Star, Fortune, and World, separated from the shield and entered Light, Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, Kanji, Rise, Teddie, Naoto, and Labrys. Their respective Personae started glowing with bright white light and began to change form.

"Our Personae," Teddie said, "They're evolving." Yoshitsune Minamoto evolved into Nobunaga Oda, a humanoid samurai covered in black and purple armor with a topknot, wearing an oni mask. Jiraiya evolved into Susano-o, a humanoid wearing a blue jumpsuit with red hair that acted like a flame, surrounded by a hollow buzz-saw and wearing a fan blade over his mouth. Tomoe Gozen evolved into Suzuka Gongen, now wearing a black jumpsuit and covered in samurai armor, her double-bladed naginata replaced with a double-beam lightsaber. Konohana Sakuya evolved into Amaterasu, a glowing golden female humanoid with steel-like petal wings, carrying a katana. Take-Mikazuchi evolved into Rokuten Maoh, larger and flaming red, with a thin yellow mustache and carrying a solidified flame. Himiko evolved into Kanzeon, now white as snow with a more complex satellite on her head. Kintoki-Douji evolved into Kamui, with a more white body and his face on his belly, sporting giant claws and a missile for a tail. Sukuna-Hikona evolved into Yamato-Takeru, now white and more bird-like, wearing a naval officers uniform and carrying a katana instead of a rapier. Ariadne evolved into Hippolyta, resembling a marble statue save for the golden armor, carrying a massive sword.

"Whoa," Yosuke said, "This feels intense." Light nodded. "This is the true power of our hearts, our true strength. Now let's put it to good use." Charging Ameno-Sagiri, the gang launched their different elements, aiming for the god of fog's eye. Ameno-Sagiri tried to stop them with a blanket of fog, but Rise was able to track him with her new-found power. Leaping at the massive eye, the eight of them struck with their different weapons, their strength bolstered by their evolved Personae. Ameno-Sagiri started fracturing under the stress, and began to fade. "_**'It would seem I am no match for your combined strength. Very well, I shall honor my promise and leave this world, returning only when mankind desires it. Farewell brave warriors, may your strength bring great change upon this world.'**_"

* * *

Back in the real world, Dojima sat at his daughter's beside. She had been recovering well, but it was still too early to let her out of the hospital. The doctors had wanted to monitor her to make sure there were no further complications. Dojima looked out the window and saw the fog starting to lift. "Well now," Dojima said, "It's about time." Nanako suddenly opened her eyes. Turning to the side, she saw her father sitting there. "Hey Daddy..." Dojima turned to look at his daughter. "Hey sweetie. Glad to see you're back, I almost lost your there." Nanako smiled. "I felt it. Big Bro and his friends saved us. They drove away the bad fog." Dojima chuckled. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if you were right."

* * *

The gang was now standing around Adachi, who had slumped against a piece of debris. "So what now?," he asked, "I suppose your gonna kill me, right?" Light shook his head. "That wouldn't be justice. I've learned that killing people, even criminals, is nothing but more murder. You'll be brought back to the real world to answer for your crimes." Adachi sighed as his eyes turned back to normal. "So it really is over then." He tossed his gun to the gang. "Fine then. I won't put up a struggle. I've grown tired of it anyway. Truth is, a small part of me didn't like the crap I was spewing from my mouth." Kanji slung Adachi's arm over his shoulder, and the gang headed back to the real world. "It'll be good getting back to reality," Labrys said. "And wait until you see Teddie's human form," Chie said with a wink. Labrys looked interested. "Human form, huh?"

**Next time:** The case is officially closed and Adachi has been arrested, just in time for the school ski trip. Labrys gets the surprise of her life when she sees Teddie's human form, and starts to fall for him. Later, each couple within the gang has a Christmas Eve celebration that will cement their love for the rest of their lives...

**Next chapter: Judgement**

**BIGGEST! CHAPTER! EVER! At least by me. I know a lot of you readers have been eager to find out what Light's Ultimate Persona would be (heck, I read it in some of the reviews). Rather than do the obvious Judgement-based Personae, I decided to create one that would be a logical evolution of Yoshitsune. Leave a review and let me know what you think. Only two chapters left, this thing is almost over.**


	21. Chapter 21: Judgement

**You remember way back in chapter one how I said there would sexual content in this specific chapter. Well consider this your reminder. Reader discretion is advised.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from either Death Note or Persona 4.**

**Last time:** Having realized the killer is most likely Tohru Adachi, a detective who had clung to the background for most of the case, the gang goes to confront him about their suspicions. They manage to trick him into implicating himself, but he manages to escape into the TV world. When they gang chases after him, they are shocked to find a new Midnight Channel program featuring all of them. When they enter the TV world, they get separated and are forced to participate in a fighting tournament called the P-1 Grand Prix. Fortunately, Light is able to reunite with Teddie during the tournament. While fighting, the gang meets three individuals from the Kirijo Group, as well a humanoid female robot called Labrys. After Light defeats Labrys' shadow, she gains her Persona Ariadne and joins the gang. Tracking down Adachi, he comes clean about the whole ordeal and tries to kill the gang. They manage to defeat him, but then come face-to-eyeball with a being known Ameno-Sagiri. During the fight, all of the gang's Personae save for Yu's evolve into stronger forms, and they are able to defeat Ameno-Sagiri. With his defeat, Adachi is arrested and the case of the Inaba Murders is officially closed.

Chapter 21: Judgement

"I'm surprised you haven't gone home yet," Rise said to Light. It was a few days after Adachi had been arrested and the case officially closed. This time they had gotten the right suspect. Light looked at his girlfriend. "To tell the truth, things are so peaceful out here I was thinking of moving here after college. Maybe get a nice apartment building." "What's wrong with Adachi's place?," Labrys asked. It was the first time all day she tore her eyes away from Teddie. The second he had taken off his bear suit, she was almost drooling. Light groaned. "Well for starters, the police have the place roped off to search for evidence. Second, would you want to live there knowing him the way we do now?" Labrys chuckled. "Good point."

"It's still hard to believe we finally managed to solve the case," Yosuke said, "It took almost a whole year too." Naoto nodded. "Not to mention it's brought together the unlikeliest of friends. And lovers." She winked at Kanji, who blushed nervously. The rest of the gang all laughed. "Oh yeah," Yosuke said, "The school ski trip is coming in a few days. I've been eager to test out that new snowboard I got for my birthday." Yu smiled, but seemed a little sad. Yukiko looked at him. "What's wrong?" "I'm only supposed to be here for a whole year," Yu said, "And then I'll probably have to go back home, or maybe someplace different. Thing is, now that I've made so many friends, I wish I didn't have to leave." He placed his hand on Yukiko's. "That reminds me, I plan on telling my folks about us." Yukiko blushed and nodded.

* * *

The snow on the mountain near Inaba was deep and firm, perfect for the Yasogami High school ski trip. The gang was outfitted in their favorite winter gear, while Teddie put on his bear suit to keep warm. Yu and Yukiko raced down the mountain to the cabin where the students were staying. "Whew," Yukiko said, "That was awesome." She looked around. "Where are the others?" Yu pointed back toward the mountain. "Hotdogging, among other things." Chie and Yosuke were racing down the mountain on their snowboards. "Yahoo!," Chie called out, "Hey Yosuke, you keeping up over there?" Yosuke smiled at her. "Pretty good! Though I think I'm actually slightly ahead!" Light, meanwhile, was stopping to rest midway down the mountain.

"Light!," he heard Rise call out, "Wait for me!" Light chuckled. "I've already stopped!" Rise skied down to where Light was. Light noted the word "lovers" was on her pink parka. _'How ironic her Arcana is the Lovers,' _he thought. Looking up the mountain, he saw that Kanji and Naoto had stalled. "What's the hold-up Kanji?," he called up to them. Kanji looked down to where Light was. "Naoto's having problems with her skis!" Sure enough, Naoto was having a tough time keeping her balance. It was such a feminine display Kanji was actually blushing from the sight of it. Suddenly, Naoto tripped right into Kanji, sending them both into the snow.

"Sorry Kanji," Naoto said, blushing softly, "This is my first time skiing." Kanji suddenly turned beet red and nearly passed out. Racing past them, Labrys was having a much easier first time skiing. "This is kinda fun!," she said to Teddie, who was racing alongside her. Teddie nodded. "You're a natural Labrys!" Labrys smiled and blushed, but as she looked forward she cried out, "Teddie look out!" Teddie was about to run into a snow bank just in front of Light and Rise. Thinking quickly, Teddie positioned himself so that he would jump the bank rather than plow into it. However, he failed to land correctly and wound up literally snowballing down the mountain.

"Wow," Labrys said as she came to a stop, "I thought that only happened in cartoons." Unable to control himself, Teddie wound up accidently running into Yosuke, who had stopped near the bottom of the mountain. The two careened into a wall just inches from Yu and Yukiko. "Well that's one way to get down the mountain," Yu said. Yukiko started giggling, and soon the whole gang joined them at the bottom for a good laugh. Yosuke was the first to poke his head out of the snowball. "Whew. Lucky for me Teddie has a lot of padding in that suit." "Nah," Teddie said as he emerged as well, "Just enough air to act as an airbag. Course all that snow probably helped too." The whole gang laughed again.

* * *

That Christmas Eve, Yukiko knocked on the door of the Dojima household. Nanako came to answer it. "Hello there Nanako," Yukiko said, "Glad to see you're feeling better." Nanako smiled and nodded. "You're here for Big Bro, right? He's upstairs in his room." Yukiko thanked Nanako and headed upstairs while Nanako headed for bed. Upstairs, Yu was reading one of the many books that he had obtained the past year. When he caught a glimpse of Yukiko he looked up. "Oh, you're here." Yukiko set down the bag she had with her and brought out a box tied with a ribbon. "I thought I'd bring something for us to enjoy together." She opened the box to reveal a small Christmas cake.

Sitting down next to Yu on the couch, she said, "Well, shall we dig in?" After the cake was finished, Yukiko fidgeted nervously. "You know, we've been through a lot since we first met almost a year ago. Now that it's over, I feel like we could do just about anything." Yu nodded, and leaned in to kiss her. She accepted eagerly, licking Yu's lips to invite his tongue. Lost in their passionate kiss, Yukiko felt her hands move up Yu's chest. "Yu... Can we...?" Yu knew what she wanted, and led her over to his futon. As she lay down, Yukiko removed her blouse. She blushed because knew the Yu could see a lot of her skin. The two drew in for another passionate kiss, before Yu moved his lips down Yukiko's neck. Yukiko nervously undid her bra, letting it fall and exposing her breasts. Yu gazed upon her. "Beautiful..." Yukiko blushed.

"You can't be the only one who gets to stare," she said, and removed Yu's shirt. She rubbed her hands over his well toned chest. The two continued to kiss as Yu removed Yukiko's skirt, then moved his lips over her body causing her to continue moaning. He finally stopped at her panties, and began rubbing his fingers gently over her pussy. "Oh Yu...," Yukiko gasped, "That feels good." Yu continued rubbing, then pushed aside the panties and began licking. Yukiko moaned even louder as she held Yu's head to her pussy. "Yu... I'm... Getting so wet." Yu got up and undid his pants. When he pulled them off, Yukiko blushed at the size of his member. Knowing where this was going, Yukiko nodded her head smiling. Yu returned the nod, then gently entered her. At the point where Yukiko felt Yu brush against her hymen, she grabbed his shoulders to brace herself. With a grunt, Yu pushed all the way inside his beloved. Yukiko threw her head back as the rush of both pain and pleasure shot through her.

"Yu," she said, "We're one now." Yu smiled at her, and began moving. Holding Yu in a tight embrace, Yukiko felt wave after wave of pleasure nearly overwhelm her. As she felt herself reach the climax, she wrapped her legs around Yu's waist. "Wait Yukiko...," Yu said, "If you do that... I can't..." Yukiko shook her head. "Don't worry... My mom knew... This was coming... I've been on birth control for the past month..." Yu smiled and started moving a little more vigorously. Yukiko kept chanting Yu's name until finally the two of them climaxed together. Thoroughly worn out, Yu rolled of Yukiko and pulled a blanket over both of them. "Thanks Yu," Yukiko said, "That was wonderful." Yu ran his hand over her cheek. "You once thought you needed a prince to lead you away from this place. But maybe what you need is a prince who can make you happy here." Yukiko smiled. "Will you be my prince?" Yu nodded and gently kissed her forehead.

* * *

"So this is the apartment Light is renting," Rise said. She knocked on the door. After a few seconds, Light answered it. "Hey there," Rise said, "Merry Christmas." She came inside and looked around. "Wow, spacious. So you plan on living here after college?" Light nodded. "My Dad agreed to forward the money until I can get my own job. It's actually not too bad a place, and with a decent rent too." Rise giggled as she sat down on one of the cushions. Light sat down next to her. "You know, having come so far and making so many friends, the idea of me becoming Kira like in my dream seems almost laughable." "I hope that never happens," Rise said, "I hope Kira never appears, whether it's you or anyone else." Light smiled. "Don't worry. I doubt anyone else would even have the drive for it."

Rise smiled and said, "Good. Having said that, I believe you can still change the world." Light put a hand on her cheek. "We all can, together. We've seen how good we are as a team. Playing off each others strengths and covering each others weaknesses. And with you beside me, Rise, I feel almost invincible." Rise blushed, then moved to kiss him. The two lovers locked lips in a passionate kiss. The warmth of Light's body seemed to drive away all the cold Rise had been feeling. Almost instinctively, she began undoing his shirt. Pulling back to admire him, Rise began removing her blouse. She then undid her bra and covered her chest. Light blushed as he gazed upon her. "You look beautiful, Rise..."

Rise blushed and said, "Thank you." The drew together for another kiss. Rise got up long enough to remove her skirt and panties, then took hold of Light's hand and rubbed his fingers across her pussy. Light got the hint and started rubbing it himself. Rise moaned in delight as Light rubbed her clitoris. Unzipping Light's pants, Rise pulled out Light's member and saw it was rock hard. She stroked it for a bit to make sure it would get harder, then carefully set herself down on it. "Rise," Light said, "Are you sure about this?" Rise nodded. "While this is something I've dreamed about, I wanted to wait until the time was right." Light still looked reluctant. Rise smiled. "Don't worry, I put myself on the pill." Light looked relieved, and gently lowered Rise onto his member.

As Rise felt her hymen give way, she called out, "Oh Light!" She felt her hips almost automatically upon Light's member. Embracing her lover, Rise dug her nails into Light's back as if she would fall off otherwise. Light groaned as he felt the slight pain, but returned the embrace and kept moving. Staring into each others eyes, it was like all they could see was each other. Rise cried as she and Light climaxed together. Collapsing on the floor with Rise on top, the two smiled at each other, not an ounce of regret in their minds. The two of them moved over to Light's futon and there they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Found them," Chie said. She was at Yosuke's, and had taken the time to look for Yosuke's secret stash. "Wow," she said, "These don't look like they've been touched in months." "I've had a different girl on my mind," came Yosuke's voice. Chie became flustered, which made Yosuke grin widely. "Trying to see what my type of girl is?," he said. Chie blushed. "Well, yeah. I mean, I would like to know how well I compare after all." Yosuke chuckled and walked over to her, surprising her with a kiss. "You really are paranoid Chie," he said softly. Chie blushed and moved to kiss him again. Before they new it, they were sitting on the edge of Yosuke's bed, deep in their passionate kiss.

"Guess I never did have anything to worry about," Chie said. She removed her jacket, which made Yosuke confused. "You've already shown you can make me cum with words alone," Chie said, "But now that we've been together for a few months, I'd like to see how you are with physical interaction." Yosuke smiled and nodded, and helped Chie remove her shirt and bra. She didn't have the biggest breasts of the girls in the group, but Yosuke didn't care. To him she looked absolutely gorgeous. He pulled Chie into another deep kiss and he fondled her breasts in his hands. Chie moaned as she continued kissing Yosuke. Laying her down on the bed, Yosuke removed his own shirt. He then slid his hand down Chie's skirt and panties.

"Yosuke...," Chie moaned as she felt his hand on her pussy. It was even better than doing it herself. All those times he had described over the phone what he wanted to do to her, know he was doing it. And doing it well too. Chie quickly undid Yosuke's pants. "I can't wait Yosuke," she said, "Hurry..." Yosuke nodded and slid her skirt and panties off. Gently, he started to push his way inside her. Finally, he gave a great thrust and Chie threw her head back as she felt her hymen give way. The two of them kept rocking together, Chie moaning as Yosuke slowly went faster and faster. "Yosuke...," Chie said, "Don't stop... That feels good..." Yosuke could feel himself about to climax and tried to pull out, but Chie stopped him.

"It's okay," Chie said, "I always knew we would end up like this, so I started going on birth control. It's okay, you can cum inside." Yosuke smiled and embraced her, then kept moving. Finally, the two of them climaxed together. Chie's scream was caught in her throat as she felt herself reach the climax. Finally, the two of them collapsed in exhaustion. "Damn," Chie said, "The real thing feels even better than I thought." She grinned at her lover. Yosuke smiled right back. "I kinda feel guilty now. All those months I was in love in Saki, when the perfect girl was right in front of the whole time." Chie blushed. "You really can be sweet when you want to be." The two kissed and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Naoto walked into Kanji's room and sat down, taking her hat off. "Good to finally get some rest," she said, "I've nearly worked myself to exhaustion." Kanji smiled at her. "You should take it easy every once in a while. You know what they say, all work and no play makes Jane a dull girl." Naoto blinked, then chuckled. "I believe the saying goes 'makes Jack a dull boy'." Kanji grinned and said, "I was trying to fit it to your situation." He removed his jacket, and Naoto noticed there were straps where the jacket went over Kanji's shoulders. "So that's how you keep that jacket on during fights," she said. Kanji nodded. "Took me a while to get it just right, but I think the extra effort was worth it." Naoto nodded and removed her own jacket. She then winced in pain.

"Crap, I knew I wrapped them up too tight," she said. She quickly removed her shirt, and Kanji was surprised to see she had bandages wrapped around her chest. Naoto quickly removed the bandages, and sighed in relief as her breasts settled out. Kanji gulped at the sight of her. Naoto saw Kanji was blushing, then said, "Well, since we're at this point..." She moved closer to him, and took his hand. Moving it down her pants, Kanji felt Naoto's pussy for the first. "Guess this proves beyond a doubt you're a girl," he said nervously. Naoto nodded as she blushed, then kissed Kanji deeply. "You earlier asked me to make you a man," she said as she pulled away, "Well, why don't you make me a woman?" Kanji nodded, and pulled off his tank top. Naoto blushed at the sight of his muscular body. She took her pants off as Kanji lay on his back.

"Let's see what we have to work with," Naoto said as she undid Kanji's pants. She gasped in surprise, and not just because of the size of Kanji's member. "You're not a natural blonde?," she asked. Kanji smirked. "I figured I'd stand out in as many ways as possible." Naoto nodded. She gently teased Kanji's member against her pussy to make herself wet enough, then lowered herself onto him. As soon as her hymen broke, she said, "Damn Kanji, why do all of your muscles need to be so rock hard?" She started moving nonetheless, enjoying the pleasure washing over her. Kanji reached up to fondle Naoto's breasts, causing her to moan in further pleasure. "Does it feel good to be a man?," she said, "Personally, I'm starting to enjoy being a woman."

"Too each their own I guess," Kanji said, enjoying the sight before him. Naoto bent over as she neared her climax, and Kanji pulled her in for another kiss. "Naoto," he said, "Should we-" "Don't worry," Naoto interrupted, "I'm on top so the odds of me getting pregnant are reduced. And just to be safe I've taking birth control pills in preparation for this." Kanji smirked. "You've been wanting this haven't you?" Naoto winked at him. "For a while now." She continued moving on top of him until they reached their climax. Worn out, Naoto lay on top of Kanji. "You seem to be getting more comfortable around me," she said, "By the way..." She reached for a nearby tissue. "You have some dried blood on your nose." Kanji blushed.

* * *

Labrys had been staying in the guest room of Yosuke's house along with Teddie. She had to admit she liked the idea. It was obvious Teddie liked her, and she was starting to like Teddie. Sitting on the edge of the bed in Teddie's room, she thought, _'I never thought it would come to this. I mean, an anti-shadow weapon falling in love with a shadow? Good thing my programming isn't hard-wired.'_ Teddie sat down next to her. "Whatcha thinking of?" Labrys smiled at him. "Not for nothing, but you really think it could work out for us? I mean, my whole purpose up til now was to hunt shadows. And here I am, sitting next to their king. Yet, I know that you wouldn't hurt anyone, so I don't feel like I have to fight you." Teddie chuckled. "I think you wound up answering you're own question. Having said that, I understand where you're coming from. Being a shadow and all, I'm not so sure I could really have a relationship with any-"

Labrys interrupted him with a kiss and said, "You talk too much. I think we both need to loosen up." Teddie smiled and the two of them kissed a little deeper. Labrys found her hands traveling down Teddie's chest until she felt something near his legs. "What the...?," she said, and realized she was feeling Teddie's member. "Wow Teddie. You got yourself the whole package when you grew yourself that body. You know..." She drew Teddie's hand under her skirt, causing him to blush. "I'm anatomically correct myself." She pulled off her shirt, and Teddie blushed at how human her body looked. "Amazing," he said as he started to fondle Labrys' breasts. Labrys moaned as she felt every sensation.

"Don't just focus on top," she said, "I'd like to explore a little further." Teddie nodded and laid her down on the bed. Covering her chest, Labrys stared into Teddie's bright blue eyes. Teddie slid off Labrys' skirt and panties and looked at her pussy. "It feels so soft," he said as he rubbed his fingers over it, "It's practically real." Labrys bit down on her knuckle to avoid moaning. Realizing Labrys was actually getting wet just from him staring, Teddie removed his pants. "Wait," he suddenly said, "What if I make you..." Labrys smiled. "Don't worry. Unlike human girls, I can actually choose when I get pregnant. So knock yourself out." Teddie nodded. He seemed to fumble at first, but Labrys helped guide his member inside her. Was Teddie was a little ways inside, he was able to go the rest of the way, pushing his way through Labrys' hymen.

"Crap," Labrys said as she felt Teddie move inside her, "Those scientists really made me as complete as possible." She and Teddie kept moving together, amazed at the level of pleasure they were feeling. Teddie kept moving faster and faster until finally he and Labrys climaxed. Breathing heavily, Labrys knew just how human she could truly feel. "Thanks Teddie," she said, "You know. I think maybe this could work out for us after all. I was only designed to fight shadows that threaten humans. But I know for a fact you would never do that." Teddie nodded smiling. Kissing one last time, the two lovers fell asleep in each others arms.

* * *

Inside the Velvet Room, Igor looked at the five pairs of Tarot cards in front of him. Fool and Priestess. Judgement and Lovers. Magician and Chariot. Emperor and Fortune. Star and World. All of them in the upright position. "It appears our young friends have cemented their relationships," Igor said to his assistant. Margaret nodded, then looked over to a third person in the room. "We will be arriving at our destination soon. I am glad you were able to recover your full strength for this. I believe Narukami will need it before too long." The passenger grinned widely. "Not to worry. After Narukami helped me out, I've been looking for a chance to return the favor. I'll see him through this, believe it."

* * *

The next day was Christmas. Most of the gang went over to the Dojima household to celebrate. Chie looked around and saw Yukiko wasn't among them. "Huh, I hope she didn't sleep late." Light shrugged and knocked on the door. There was the sound of running and soon enough Nanako opened up the door. "Hey there everyone," she said with a cheery smile, "You're just in time, Santa Claus came last night." As the gang walked into the living room, Nanako called out, "Big Bro! Yukiko! The others are here!" There was a sound of scuffling upstairs, and after a minute or two Yu and Yukiko came downstairs. They soon found the rest of the gang with a bunch of wry smiles on their faces. "Seems we all enjoyed Christmas Eve last night," Yosuke said. Nanako looked confused. "How so?" Yu chuckled nervously. "Why don't we save that for when you're a little older?"

"Well then," Dojima said, "What say we start exchanging gifts?" The gang had a bunch of presents with them, most of them for Nanako. Teddie was the last one to give a gift. "I'm not too good with wrapping," he said, "But I somehow doubt that matters. Here Nanako." He held out a tiny stuffed version of his bear form. Nanako's eyes lit up instantly. "Wow Teddie, this is so cute." Teddie rubbed the back of his head. "I kinda had to take sewing lessons from Kanji, so it might not be the best quality." "Don't worry about it," Kanji said, "You take it over to my place if it needs repairing. I'll have it fixed up in no time." The gang enjoyed the rest of the day with some nice hot chocolate and giant Christmas cake made by the girls. It truly felt like the fight was all over.

**Next time:** Yu receives a letter from Adachi, reminding him that there is one last loose end the gang needs to tie up. But the challenge they are about to receive is one they may not even survive...

**Final chapter: World**

**I'm sure having five lemons in one chapter is some kind of record. Anyway, I'm sure you guys will catch the small reference I made near the end. Remember, I have permission for this from NeoKenshin, so if you haven't read his story, go do it now. And while you're at it, leave us both a review.**


	22. Chapter 22: World

**Well folks, this is it. The final chapter. However, stay tuned. I have an exciting announcement at the end of the chapter I think you're gonna like. Oh yeah, and I will be making one more reference to NeoKenshin's Naruto story (again, I have his permission). Seriously, check it out, it's awesome.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or Death Note. Or Naruto for that matter.**

**Last time:** With Adachi captured, the gang relaxes at the school ski trip. Later, each pair of lovers withing the gang finally goes all the way in their relationships. As Igor and Margaret transport a mysterious individual to an unknown location in the Velvet Room, the gang celebrates Christmas together, confident their trials are over at last.

Chapter 22: World

Three months had passed. Yu held the small bauble he had gotten from Igor in his hand. Apparently, it was crafted by the shards created by all his Social Links. Yosuke, Yukiko, Margaret, Kanji, Ryotaro, Rise, Chie, Nanako, Kyuubi, Naoto, Kou, Naoki, Hisano, Eri, Sayoko, Shu, Teddie, Ai, Yumi, Light, and Labrys. The friendships he forged with these people had created a magical talisman known as the Orb of Clarity. According to Igor, it would be necessary to finally solve this mystery. _'But what is there to solve,'_ Yu thought, _'We caught Adachi. We know he's the killer. What could possibly be left?'_ At that moment, Dojima walked into the house. "Yu. There's a letter for you. It's from Adachi." Yu looked confused, but took the letter anyway. As soon as he read it, he called Light on his cell phone. "Get the gang together," he said, "This case is still far from over."

* * *

"Narukami. I realize that it's been almost three months since I was arrested and convicted. Lucky me, I only got second-degree murder, so the worst I had to look forward to was life without parole. But I digress. When I said you knew everything, I was wrong. I realized after a while that there was one thing you missed. It seems you, me, Light, and Namatame all the strange ability to pass through the TVs without a Persona. You and I seemed to have our Personae already for whatever reason, but it seems Light and possibly Namatame needed to get theirs the normal way. When I thought about this I realized something, you never asked me where this power came from in the first place. At the time I had no idea, but I thought about it. I remember the day I first got transferred here, I shook the hand of the first person I ran into. I remember afterwards I felt slightly nauseous. I believe the person who shook my hand gave me the power to enter the TVs. And I believe that same person also gave it to Light, Namatame, and yourself. Unfortunately what with everything that's happened, I've forgotten who that person was. Yu, find that person and you uncover the entire truth. Signed, Tohru Adachi."

Yu finished reading the letter to the gang and said, "Light, do you remember the series of events between when you first came to Inaba to when you got your Persona?" Light nodded. "After I got off the train, I met with Dojima and Adachi. Then Adachi started driving me to his house, but had to stop at the gas station to use the restroom. The attendant there talked with me about the Midnight Channel and shook my hand as I got back in Adachi's car." Yu nodded. "It was a similar story with me. I had met with Dojima and Nanako and had to stop at the same gas station when Nanako needed to use the restroom. I remember Nanako mentioning afterwards that I looked a little carsick." Labrys looked confused. "But how can a simple gas station attendant give anyone that kind of power?" "I don't know," Yu said, "But I intend to find out."

* * *

As Yu walked up to the attendant, he felt the Orb of Clarity pulse in his pocket. Something told him he was on the right track. The attendant saw Yu and waved at him. "Hey there," he said, "I heard you and your nine friends solved the case." Yu narrowed his eyes. "How do you know how many people are in my group? It was never mentioned in the news." Before the attendant could answer, Light pulled out the Orb of Clarity. The attendant smiled, and suddenly his eyes turned yellow. "I see," he said in a dual voice that sounded both male and female, "So you have the power to cast aside illusions." The attendant suddenly vanished as the street became covered in fog. Yu looked around, and saw a young woman wearing a white gown floating in midair. As Yu looked closer, he saw the woman had the attendant's face.

"**_'I never imagined you would get this far,'_**" the woman said, "**_'Allow me to introduce myself. I am Izanami. I have come to this little town drawn to the illusions people have created in their own minds. To strengthen this untapped power in hopes of breaking free of my curse, I selected certain outsiders hoping to make them my champions. Their purpose would be to sacrifice certain individuals who couldn't see their true selves and use their despair to feed the illusions and cover the town of fog. However, for whatever reason, you and the one known as Light chose instead to protect those people. To top it off, you somehow gained the power to control more than one Persona. I do not intend to stop yet, but I am a fair goddess. I will give you and your friends one chance to defeat me. We'll see if your power can stand before mine.'_**" And with that, Izanami vanished.

* * *

Inside the TV world, Yu explained the whole situation to the gang. "So all this time it was Izanami," Light said, "Now things start to make sense. She must have the one behind everything. She incapacitated Kyuubi, took over the world Teddie made, created Ameno-Sagiri to start spreading the fog, and used Adachi as a puppet to do her dirty work." Rise nodded. "So if we can defeat her, everything goes back to normal." "Then what are we waiting for," Teddie said, "I owe that hag a hundred slashes and bear bites for ruining my world." He sniffed around. "Well, she certainly isn't trying to hide. She's left us a very obvious trail to follow." He led the gang to Izanami's location.

* * *

Izanami's hideout looked like an inverted world, with the sky on the ground and buildings in the air. The path ahead was straight, and looked almost like an old Japanese bridge. Standing in the way were two creatures. The first looked like a blue minotaur with three horns and an upside-down mask for a face. The other looked like a table with hands on the bottoms of its table legs and faces on either side of its table cloth, topped with a goblet, a scepter, and an egg. "Neo Minotaur and Smiling Table," Rise said, "Looks like Izanami's forces are on their last legs." The Neo Minotaur bellowed and charged at the gang. "Oh no you don't," Kanji said, "Primal Force!" Rokuten Maoh swung his flame sword and smashed it into the minotaur, sending it sprawling.

Light glared at the Smiling Table and called out, "Mamudoon!" Nobunaga charged a ball of pure darkness on the tip of his sword and threw it at the table, knocking it out. With both of them sprawled on the ground, Chie called out, "God's Hand!" Suzuka raised her hand in the air and caused a giant fist to manifest and slam into the fallen shadows, destroying them. "That's that," Light said, "Now let's hurry up and find Izanami." They kept running down the bridge as Yu thought, _'That was way too easy. It's almost like they weren't even trying. Even with the others having newly evolved Personae, you'd think the guardian shadows would still be a little challenging. Is Izanami trying to lure us into false sense of security?'_

* * *

When the gang reached Izanami, she smiled. "_**'So you have arrived. But no matter how long you long fight, the truth will always elude you. So now it's time for you to be destroyed.'**_" "Destroy this," Yosuke said, "Susano-o! Magarudyne!" Susano-o caused his buzz-saw to spin at a rapid pace conjuring a massive tornado. "Nobunaga Oda!," Light called out, "Mamudoon!" Nobunaga pointed his sword at Izanami and generated the orb of darkness. "Suzuka Gongen!," Chie said, "God's Hand!" Suzuka conjured the giant fist and raised it over Izanami. "Amaterasu!," Yukiko said, "Maragidyne!" Amaterasu unsheathed her katana and set it on fire. "Rokuten Maoh!," Kanji said, "Maziodyne!" Rokuten raised his flame sword above him and conjured a lightning bolt that struck the sword. He then pointed the sword at Izanami.

"Go Kamui!," Teddie said, "Mabufudyne!" Kamui's claws became solid icicles, which he pointed at his target. "Yamato-Takeru!," Naoto said, "Mahamaon!" Yamato-Takeru placed her finger on the hilt of her katana and drew toward the tip, covering the blade in light. "Hippolyta!," Labrys said, "Megidolaon!" The tip of Hippolyta's spear shone with a holy light. The eight attacks struck Izanami at once, kicking up a large cloud of dust. But when the dust settled, Izanami didn't even look fazed. "_**'I'll admit your power is great,'**_" she said, "_**'But the power I have is stronger still. For it is the combined will of the people of this world. Now, suffer my Thousand Curses!'**_" She extended her arm, and a dark portal appeared under Rise.

As Rise was pulled into the portal, Light quickly ran over to her yelling, "Hang on Rise!" He tried to pull her out, but then the portal expanded and started to draw him in as well. "Light! Rise!," Yu called out in horror. The gang could do little but watch as the two of them were lost to the darkness. Suddenly more portals appeared under the others. Yu stared wide-eyed as the gang struggled against the darkness trying to draw them in. Labrys and Kanji seemed to be doing the best job, but they were sucked in all the same. Yukiko's eyes met Yu's, and she shed a single tear before she too was lost. Izanami laughed darkly. "_**'Now it's your turn!'**_" Yu braced himself as the dark portal appeared beneath him. Just then, however, everything went pure white.

* * *

Yu awoke to find himself in the center of a circle of stone monoliths. As he looked around, he saw there were twenty-one of them total. As Yu looked around, he saw a boy his age standing in front of one of the monoliths. He wore a black and orange jumpsuit, and had spiky blonde hair. The whisker-like marks on his face and wide grin made him look very familiar. "Do I... Know you?," Yu asked. The boy grinned, and nine fox tails appeared behind him. Yu gasped in recognition. "Kyuubi!" "Nice to see you too," Kyuubi said, "Looks like you're in a bind." Yu nodded sadly. "Izanami took all my friends from me." Kyuubi grinned. "Are you sure about that? That woman dabbles in illusions. Her Thousand Curses technique is actually a thousand lies. What you need to fight her is the truth. And not just one truth, but ten-thousand truths."

"But where can I find something like that?," Yu said. Kyuubi smiled. "You've had it all along. The bonds you've made along this journey have given you this power, even as it restored my own." He snapped his fingers, and the monolith behind him turned into the Hermit card. Then each of the other monoliths turned into the other Arcana, and images of the people Yu had made a Social Link with appeared before their respective Arcana. "Thank to you," Kyuubi said, "These people have managed to overcome the problems in their lives. You've seen the world from the eyes of twenty-one people. Izanami has only seen through the eyes of one person." Yu nodded. "Adachi."

"That's right," Kyuubi said, "This whole year has been a journey. And just like with every journey, it has to start at the beginning." An image of the Fool appeared beneath Yu's feet. "I see. It all started with me, and fate led me to each person I needed to meet." Kyuubi nodded. "Izanami only saw you meet and befriend twenty-one people, so she thinks your power is incomplete. But don't forget you have something that can dispel that illusion." Yu then remembered he still has the Orb of Clarity. "The time has come for you to use this," Kyuubi said, "Let me supercharge it for you." Making a series of hand symbols, he glowed with bright red energy which then permeated the orb. Yu smiled, and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was once again standing before Izanami.

"_**'You survived? But how?'**_" "Your power isn't as strong as you think," Yu said, and he held up the Orb of Clarity. In an instant, Izanami disappeared in flash, only to be replaced by something far more grotesque. Izanami now looked like a decaying skeleton, giant in size with her hair now black and flowing. Yu narrowed his eyes at her, and took off his glasses. "I see. So this is your true form. Well Izanagi has a true form as well." Summoning his card, the card shot inside Yu's chest. Izanagi appeared and began to glow, transforming into a pure white humanoid with an appearance similar to his previous form, holding a giant sword with a massive ring for a hilt. "Behold," Yu said, "Izanagi-no-Okami!"

"_**'Big deal,'**_" Izanami said, "_**'You're still no match for my Thousand Curses!'**_" The dark portal appeared beneath Yu, but he merely stepped of it without being affected. "_**'Impossible... How can the small number of people you've helped possibly be stronger than the will of the world?'**_" "Those people represent the will of the world Izanami," Yu said, "And for every lie you tell, I will counter with ten truths. So now it's time for you to fall before my Myriad Truths!" Izanagi-no-Okami spun his sword in a circle, creating a ring of glowing energy. The energy shot out and struck Izanami, causing her to disintegrate. "_**'I see. I viewed the world through too few eyes. In the end, the one I was lying to more than anyone was myself. So be it, I will no longer interfere. What future lies before you I do not know, but it yours to make yourself.'**_" She vanished completely, and everything went white.

* * *

When the light faded, Yu found himself in a vast plain overlooking a landscape filled with mountains, forest, lakes, and rivers. As he looked around, he saw his friends alive and well. "Yosuke! Chie! Light! Rise! Kanji! Naoto! Teddie! Labrys! Yukiko!" At the sound of their names, the gang got up. When Yukiko saw Yu, she smiled and ran to embrace him. "You did it... We're okay." "Wow, look at this place," Labrys said she surveyed the scene, "This is one heck of a view." Naoto gazed at it. "This must be what Teddie's world really looks like." Teddie was jumping for joy. "It's back. My world is back to normal. Now all the shadows will go back to being peaceful again." The gang looked out toward the horizon. "It really is over this time," Yukiko said, "Isn't it?" Yu nodded. "This time for sure."

* * *

After returning to the real world, Yu got a call on his cell. It was his parents, who first asked him if had made any friends while in Inaba. When he told them about the all the friends he had made, and his relationship with Yukiko, what his parents said next made him smile with delight. "Guys!," he said, "My parents just said I could stay here in Inaba!" Yukiko smiled happily and hugged Yu. "That's wonderful. Now you don't have to leave." "Guess this mean the gang's staying together," Yosuke said. Yu nodded. "After what we just went through, I feel like nothing could ever tear us apart." Light smiled. _'A whole year spending time with these people has opened my eyes. How Izanami acted is no different from how Kira acted. And I actually wanted to reign as a god? No more. If this be godhood, I reject it. I'll stay the way I am, and change the world as only a human can."_

* * *

Several months later, at Light's high school, a student found something that had dropped on the ground. Picking it up, he saw it was a thin black notebook. He noted the words on the front cover. "'Death Note', huh? I wonder what this is about." He opened up the notebook and saw there was more writing inside the front cover. "'The human whose name is written in the notebook shall die'. Is this some sort of prank?" He looked around, then stuffed the notebook into his bag. "I guess it couldn't hurt to take it home and examine it further." And with that, he walked off.

The End...?

**That's right folks! The Death Note is back in play! Even before I started writing this story, I knew I was gonna make a sequel. And if you thought Adachi was a hard man to pin down, wait until the Inaba Investigation Team goes head-to-head with Kira. Your favorite characters from Death Note will be there, and now that Light is no longer Kira, things are gonna be a little different. So keep your eyes peeled, I Reject It, the sequel to If This Be Godhood, is coming soon!**


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